By Jennifer Reiser, CCE, IOM; Chief Operating Officer
According to Seth Godin, entrepreneur, best-selling author and teacher:
“Your peer group are people with similar dreams, goals and worldviews. They are people who will push you in exchange for being pushed, who will raise the bar and tell you the truth.
They’re not in your business, but they’re in your shoes.
Finding a peer group and working with them, intentionally and on a regular schedule, might be the single biggest boost your career can experience.”
Often members of a peer group share similar interests, habits, attitudes, values and beliefs. They also share a desire for meaningful social connections, to overcome isolation and develop opportunities for growth and accountability. Just like peer groups are highly influential on childhood and adolescent development, they can be tremendously impactful to the personal and professional development in adulthood.
Over the course of the next year, the Billings Chamber of Commerce will convene peer groups to support relationship building, foster collaboration and partnerships, and cultivate mentoring opportunities. These groups will be made up of like-minded Chamber members in similar leadership positions, with the goal of leveraging different experiences and different approaches to solve problems and grow business. Peer advisory groups can help you find your “blind-spots” by respectively challenging your perspective and coming at situations differently.
The results of our most recent survey indicate the majority of respondents are interested in a peer group for female leaders in business. Over the next few months we will be connecting with female business leaders to learn more about their needs and how the Chamber can facilitate the interactions needed for success.
If you are interested in more information on this peer group, or have suggestions for other groups to consider, please contact Jennifer Reiser at jennifer@billingschamber.com