How Do You Know Your CEO Group is High-Performing? Look in the Mirror.

Several years ago, I delivered a self-assessment workshop to a CEO peer group in the Midwest, a program that I have since delivered hundreds of times, yet on this day, something extraordinary happened. For context, the workshop is designed for the CEO members and group leader to build an action plan to drive higher performance and maximize the value of the group experience.  Using Peernovation’s Five Factor Framework – Right People, Psychological Safety, Productivity, Accountability, and Leadership, the members identify their priorities, strengths and weaknesses. During the three-hour session, the members can’t help but examine their part in the group’s capacity to perform at a high level.

The extraordinary event I’m talking about occurred at the end of the workshop when one of the CEOs, whom I’ll call Dave, stood up and pulled a letter of resignation (from the group) out of his pocket. Dave proceeded to tell his members that he crafted an eloquently written missive describing how the group was not providing him the value he had expected. He then stated, “What I learned today is that it’s entirely my fault.” Dave proceeded to tell his fellow members that he would like to remain with the group and, in doing so, promised to be a “better member” in the future. He then tore up the letter and put it back in his pocket.

Impressive 

What’s impressive is that Dave arrived at the meeting having made a firm decision, one that he took the time to put in writing, yet he remained open enough to fully and enthusiastically participate in an exercise on how to improve a group he already decided to leave. Instead, Dave saw it as an opportunity to look in the mirror and ask himself, “What part am I playing when it comes to how much value I am receiving? What’s my role in the group performing below its potential? How has my behavior impacted the value other members have received?

Assessing Yourself, the Group, and the Value Everyone Receives 

Do you want to know if you’re in the right group and if you’re maximizing the value of the experience for yourself and others? If you don’t take my workshop, here are five steps to get you started:

1. Draft a Personal Purpose Statement – Write a clear statement that illustrates “why” you are investing your time and money in the group. Review the statement before every meeting to help you adopt the mindset of bringing your best.
2. Create a List of Clear Goals by Answering Four Questions – 1) How do I want to be a better leader? 2) How do I want to improve my organization? 3) How can the group leader help me achieve my goals? How can the group help me achieve my goals? Review and finetune your responses with your group leader and then share them with your fellow members – I hope they will share their goals with you as well. The more visibility you provide to one another about your goals, the better equipped you’ll be to help each other.
3. Be Clear About What it Takes to Be a Strong Contributing Member to the Group – Engage in a deep conversation about what you expect of yourself and your fellow members and what you would ask of any new member who wants to enjoy the privilege of sitting at your table. As you model those behaviors over time, the newly adopted group norms will help drive higher, more consistent performance.
4. Action Plan – Build a new level of intentionality that operationalizes your expectations of yourself and one another—for example, improving meeting attendance, building psychological safety, being better prepared for meetings, creating a healthy culture of accountability, and paying attention to little things that can make a big difference.
5. Reflection – Take a look in the mirror after your group meeting, reflect on your contribution, and consider how you can raise your game for next time. Also, track progress against your goals – goals that you identified – as you continue your learning journey. Progress against your goals will show you what success looks like. Checking in with other members about progress against their goals will keep everyone on track during and between group meetings.

Summary

For more ideas that will provide additional guidance about what areas may require greater intentionality as part of your action plan, check out my previous CEOWORLD magazine article about what it takes to be a great member. As Dave discovered during my workshop, “You get out of it what you put into it.” Driven by committed CEOs/business leaders, there’s no match for a high-performing peer advisory group or forum when preparing to meet the challenges ahead.

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”  – Aristotle

That’s what these groups help you realize.

Written by Leo Bottary.

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