Why A Facilitated Peer Group May Be Right for You – Part 3

Collaboration can address newer, unfolding issues

Greg Hayne, Hayne Coaching Group

In the last article (to read second article click here) we talked about the most basic and important benefits of being in a peer group is the sharing of ideas.  But there is another area where peer groups, especially those that are facilitated, can be even more valuable.  Collaboration. Collaboration can address newer, unfolding issues that none within a peer group have solved independently, but together that solution can be developed.  (A good example of this is the challenges the influx of millennials in the work force are bringing).

One could argue a simple meeting of local businessmen could figure these issues out at a local bar, however, they lack one key ingredient—a professionally trained facilitator. A facilitator will not only keep egos and opinions in check, but also guide the group as they create a solution to industry-plaguing problems. A facilitated peer group is going to be quite different than a peer group.  First, a facilitated group is likely to be quite a bit larger, with 8 to 12 members on average.  If you seek out and form your own group, they are inevitably smaller with 3 or 4 members and you are going to tend and invite people who you know and like and who are already much like you and will also tend to think like you.  With a larger group there will be more diversity and when it comes to collaboration diversity is good thing.   A professional facilitator can keep the meetings focused, more on track and he or she should be trained to create an environment where different perspectives are all given an appropriate voice.  There are likely to be contractors in such a group that you would never dream of inviting into your personally organized peer group and their presence can be stimulating and challenging.

Where the basic sharing of proven ideas can make everyone better, collaboratively working on developing challenges gives you the opportunity to implement solutions that nobody else has tried yet and that allows you to move all of your businesses forward, potentially giving you the leg-up on your competitors.  The contractors who can best and more rapidly adapt to our changing business climate will be successful long term.   Collaborative problem solving can really set you and your group members up to separate yourselves from your competitors in meaningful ways.

Exploring collaborative solutions is greatly enhanced with a “guide,” somebody trained to explore possibilities and move people or organizations forward, which is exactly what a trained facilitator or coach can do.   Based on our work within the industry, we see contractors routinely self-assessing their organizations in ways that acknowledge that there is tremendous upside to collaboratively working together to come up with new approaches to doing business.

In the next article we will talk about how peer group solutions can be real and tangible.

About Hayne Coaching Group

Hayne Coaching Group assists roofing contractors prosper by discovering and implementing smarter, better ways to work.  We provide executive coaching for key leaders in a company and  organized and facilitated industry peer groups, so that companies may benefit from their group’s collective experience, buying power, accountability and so much more.  Learn more here http://haynecoachinggroup.com.