IrinaFunny, I decided to join a peer group once, and it didn't go so well. We were all self-employed, trying to get our solo businesses off the ground. Every week we'd meet and ask ourselves the same question: "How do I get more customers?" And no one knew the answer. Because if they did — if they had managed to actually take off — they wouldn't be a peer anymore and they would've left the group 😁
That's when I realized I was fooling myself: This was another activity I added to my list just to feel good, to feel like I was solving my problems, whereas it actually did nothing for my business. But it was easy 😉 Talking to peers is always easier than talking to customers, clients, partners, or other people whose opinion actually matters because it's a relationship you need or want to keep. My lesson learned: If you want a pat on the back, find out who your real customer is (hint: if you're the CEO, that's your organization, not your end customer — they are now served by your employees) and talk to them. You'll have a lot of problem-fixing to do before you get that pat on the back, but once you get there, you will have really made a difference — the type of difference that deserves a pat on the back.