• Contact
  • My Account
  • Log In
  • 0Shopping Cart
thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World
  • About
  • Services
  • eLearning
  • Team
  • Blog
  • Clients
  • Books
  • Contact
  • Menu Menu

Build your skills! Take our eLearning courses on TITAN!

World-class eLearning courses with videos, exercises, downloads, and a certificate of completion. Get started today!

Structured Thought: Problem Solving
Structured Thought and Communication
Strategic Business Planning
Principles of Chart Design eLearning Course
Engagement Management
Deliberate Decision Making
Breakthrough Innovation
Everything is Negotiable
Leading through Change
Storytelling for Leaders
Storytelling for Salespeople
Building Leadership Resilience
Compelling Executive Presence
Coaching for Impact
Building Personal Resilience
Building Personal Resilience
Wide Banner SPS
Wide Banner STC
Wide Banner SBP
Wide Banner PCD
Wide Banner ENM
Wide Banner DDM
Wide Banner BTI
Wide Banner EIN
Wide Banner LTC
Wide Banner SFL
Wide Banner SFS
Wide Banner BLR
Wide Banner CEP
Wide Banner CFI
Wide Banner BPR
Wide Banner TMM
previous arrow
next arrow

5 Keys to Peer Advantage and the Value of Learning How to Learn

June 13, 2016/0 Comments/in Books, Career, Communications, Guest Blogger, Leadership /by Mike Figliuolo

The Power of PeersBuilding a network of peers who help you learn is a key to personal and career success. Surrounding yourself with others who push your thinking makes you a better leader.

Today’s post is from Leo Bottary, author of The Power of Peers (CLICK HERE to get your copy).

Earlier this year, I addressed the graduates of Seton Hall University’s Master of Arts in Strategic Communication & Leadership (MASCL) program.  Using principles from The Power of Peers: How the Company You Keep Drives Leadership, Growth & Success, I presented a challenge to the group.  

As you know all too well, who you surround yourself with matters. In fact, it really matters. Whether you want to run a marathon, build a new company, or complete your Master’s degree, if you surround yourself with really good people who share your commitment and dedication to the goal at hand, you can accomplish anything! Today is a celebration of graduation, yet it’s also a time for us to consider what’s possible for your future.

So to that end, let me offer an assertion and propose a challenge. My assertion is that the most valuable learning you had in this program didn’t come from one of your instructor’s posts or lectures; it didn’t come from the writings of Kouzes & Posner or Peter Senge; in fact, it didn’t come from WHAT you learned at all – it came from HOW you learned – that’s the most enduring lesson.

You learned how to learn together. It’s quintessential peer advantage.  Think about it. Over time, facts can become irrelevant, theories outdated. Since we live in a world where we contemplate a future we barely can imagine, having the ability to work and learn with others is where the real enduring value lies.

As for the challenge, I ask that you challenge yourselves to create “learning teams” (if you will) in your lives and in your organizations, and employ the five factors that made your own learning team so successful.

1. Bring great people together and invite them to share an experience where, if they listen more than they talk, learn rather than judge, and be truly selfless in their exchanges with others, they will set the stage for achieving extraordinary results.

2. Create a safe environment for your team – a place where they can fearlessly share their ideas, experiences, and opinions. My guess is that in your course on Multiculturalism and Diversity, you had conversations about race, gender, and age, which I would suggest you never had with anyone before. (It was certainly the case in my learning team. And, because we trusted one another enough to have those conversations, we were all that much richer for it.)

3. Bring your best self as a servant leader to every interaction with others. I don’t mind saying we have a faculty here that really understands how to lead learning teams. Our job isn’t simply to lecture or point students to books and journal articles, it’s to be that servant leader who brings our students together, inspires them to learn from each other, and who creates learning team leaders in their own right. If we don’t do that, we haven’t done our job. Let me suggest that if you don’t bring your special brand of servant leadership to the lives of others, you won’t be doing yours, either.

4. While we live in a world where debate (and unfortunately even personal insults) appears to rule the day, you can challenge yourself to raise the level of conversation with everyone you meet. You’ve spent the last 18 months engaging in true dialogue and participating in what we call ‘skilled discussion.’ It’s not about winning, it’s about what the late Dr. Stephen Covey advised: “Seek first to understand, and then be understood.” That’s how people learn and grow, and that’s how you can become an agent for others.

5. Create your own culture of accountability – it’s not about what you demand of your team, it’s about what they grow to expect from each other. There’s not one of you who didn’t care about your fellow learning team members’ success as much as your own, and because of that, you were there for each other and helped each other stay on track no matter how life may have challenged you along the way.

You’re born leaders. Born communicators. It’s why you were attracted to this demanding program. Keep being students of both and bring what you’ve discovered about peer advantage and learning how to learn together into every aspect of your life. If you do that, there isn’t one of you who won’t change the world in your own unique way.

In closing, I’d like to leave you with a brief story. It came from one of the members of LT 33, Sister Mary Alice Otoo. On a Friday evening after dinner, LT members were expressing what the program meant to them. When it was Sister Mary Alice’s turn, she said (in that gentle voice of hers), “What makes MASCL special is, you don’t just go through the program. If you allow it to happen, the program goes through you.”

Wow, we thought! Sister Mary Alice’s words were more than just a clever turn of phrase; she captured the essence of the MASCL experience – that if we bring really great people together, ask them to trust each one another, encourage them to see others for what makes them special, and believe in something larger than themselves, it will be a truly transformative experience. It’s a gift I know all of us who were there that night will cherish forever, and before you left this campus and this program, I wanted to be sure I shared that gift with you.

So on behalf of all of us at Seton Hall University, I invite you to stick together, continue to surround yourself with great people, and go through life by allowing the most precious gifts to go through you. To LT 37, Congratulations!

Advantage: Peers!

Leo Bottary– Leo Bottary is vice president, Peer Advantage for Vistage Worldwide, where he directs a thought leadership initiative on the power of peer influence for business leaders. Leo also serves as an adjunct professor for Seton Hall University’s Master of Arts in Strategic Communication & Leadership program (MASCL), where he leads online learning teams. Prior to joining in 2010, Leo enjoyed a 25-year career counseling leaders in strategic communication. His book The Power of Peers: How the Company You Keep Drives Leadership, Growth & Success (CLICK HERE to get your copy), written with Leon Shapiro, was recently released.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, I highly encourage you to take about 30 seconds to become a regular subscriber to this blog. It’s free, fun, practical, and only a few emails a week (I promise!). SIGN UP HERE to get the thoughtLEADERS blog conveniently delivered right to your inbox!

https://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.png 0 0 Mike Figliuolo https://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.png Mike Figliuolo2016-06-13 07:02:332016-06-13 06:50:055 Keys to Peer Advantage and the Value of Learning How to Learn
0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Get free blog posts by email NOW!

It’s the best 5 minutes a week you can spend on your development.

Subscribe HERE!


All Contacts

Get new posts FREE via RSS!
Follow thoughtLEADERS on LinkedInFollow thoughtLEADERS on twitter
This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
 

Check Out Our Courses

Our courses teach immediately applicable skills that have real impact on your business. From leadership to strategy and negotiation to conflict resolution, we have a broad set of course offerings that will drive immediate performance improvements.
OUR COURSES

Our Courses

Group of Business People Meeting
Puzzle Pieces
Glasses Looking Over Cityscape
Doors on a Wall
Cog Wheels
Man Reading Book
Fishing hook in the sea
Microphone in Lecture Hall
Charts on Blue Background
Wristwatch
Exploding Light Bulb
Man on Summit of Mountain
Lightning Bolts
Man Painting the Word Change on a Wall
Construction Cranes
Plant Growing in a Hand
High Performance Gears
Men Shaking Hands Closeup
Influence Definition
Sailboat at Sunset
Hanging light bulbs with glowing one isolated on dark blue background
Wagon Wheel
Executive Communications
Structured Problem Solving
Creating Leadership Maxims
Leading inside the Box
Deliberate Decision Making
Simple Strategic Planning
Storytelling for Leaders
Storytelling for Sales
Executive Presence
Principles of Chart Design
Time Management Mastery
Breakthrough Innovation
Leadership Resilience
Conflict Resolution
Leading through Change
Project Management Reality
Coaching for Impact
High Performing Teams
Everything is Negotiable
Leading with Influence
Building Personal Resilience
thoughtLEADERSHIP
Engagement Management
previous arrow
next arrow
 

eLearning Courses on TITAN

Structured Thought: Problem Solving
Puzzle Pieces
Structured Thought: Problem Solving

Clearly define a problem, scope all issues related to the problem, generate potential solutions, then analyze and select the best solution by using time-tested critical thinking methods and tools.

VIEW COURSE
Structured Thought and Communication
Group of Business People Meeting
Structured Thought and Communication

Craft clear and compelling recommendations that resonate with stakeholders. Get your ideas approved by using a proven method for delivering executive-level communications.

VIEW COURSE
Principles of Chart Design
Different Types of Line and Bar Charts
Principles of Chart Design

Create well-designed presentation charts that get your message across quickly and clearly to drive your audience to action. From data charts to concept charts, these methods help make your point.

VIEW COURSE
Engagement Management
Wagon Wheel
Engagement Management

Whether you’re an internal or external consultant or a project leader, learn proven methods, techniques, and processes to effectively lead consulting engagements that drive your client’s success.

VIEW COURSE
Strategic Business Planning
Cog Wheels
Strategic Business Planning

Use a straightforward and effective strategic planning process that shows how to craft a clear, compelling plan for your organization - not just one time, but on an ongoing basis year after year.

VIEW COURSE
Deliberate Decision Making
Deliberate Decision Making
Deliberate Decision Making

Make better, faster, and more effective decisions. Apply simple yet powerful decision making tools to define decision authority, manage risk, increase accountability, and drive execution.

VIEW COURSE
Everything is Negotiable
Men Shaking Hands
Everything is Negotiable

Become a better negotiator in all situations – from day to day interactions to hammering out large deals. Build the skills required to get what you want and strengthen relationships while you do.

VIEW COURSE
Breakthrough Innovation
Exploding Lightbulb
Breakthrough Innovation

Generate and select unique strategies that separate you from the competition. Construct bold and disruptive solutions then build and execute a plan for taking those strategies to market.

VIEW COURSE
Storytelling for Leaders
Man reading stories from a book
Storytelling for Leaders

Create business stories that inspire people, build connections with your audience, and ultimately advance your organization's goals by using a repeatable, straightforward method.

VIEW COURSE
Storytelling for Salespeople
Storytelling for Salespeople
Storytelling for Salespeople

Create and deliver stories that will take your sales efforts to the next level. Connect with and convince buyers in all situations using memorable stories. These stronger relationships drive more sales.

VIEW COURSE
Leading through Change
Leading through Change
Leading through Change

Lead your organization through the most challenging times using a proven change management process. Get people through the change and back to driving performance quickly and effectively.

VIEW COURSE
Building Leadership Resilience
Mountain Climbing Expedition
Building Leadership Resilience

Prepare your body and brain to be ready for and recover from your biggest challenges. Build approaches for overcoming stress, managing reactions to difficult events, and leading more effectively.

VIEW COURSE
Compelling Executive Presence
Compelling Executive Presence
Compelling Executive Presence

Build your ability to connect with your audience and convey your ideas in a clear and resonant way. Create meaningful connections between you and your audience to build buy-in.

VIEW COURSE
Coaching for Impact
Plant Growing in a Hand
Coaching for Impact: Foundation Course

Coach employees for performance and development more effectively by helping them identify and pursue their own solutions. Create the right environment and conditions to help them grow.

VIEW COURSE
Building Personal Resilience
Boat at Sunset
Building Personal Resilience

Build the habits and learn the behaviors required to manage stress, deal with adversity, and maintain your physical and mental wellbeing. Personal resilience is a key to your ongoing success.

VIEW COURSE
Time Management Mastery
Watches
Time Management Mastery

Learn techniques to manage your time, delegate, say “no,” and be more efficient. Balance your limited supply of time with the overwhelming demands that are placed on you every day.

VIEW COURSE
previous arrow
next arrow

Books You MUST Read

The Elegant Pitch
One Piece of Paper by Mike Figliuolo
Lead Inside the Box
10 Stories Great Leaders Tell
Getting Ahead
Sell with a Story
Lead with a Story
Mastering Communication at Work
The Hook
Innovative Leadership Fieldbook
Innovative Leaders Guide to Transforming Organizations
The Three Commitments of Leadership
The Littlest Green Beret
Storytelling in the Land of Oz
The Camino Way
The Leader with a Thousand Faces
The Inner Matrix book
The Vision Code
The Most Unlikely Leader
The Leader with a Thousand Faces
The Elegant Pitch
One Piece of Paper by Mike Figliuolo
Lead Inside the Box
10 Stories Great Leaders Tell
Getting Ahead
Sell with a Story - Border
Lead with a Story
Leading from Your Best Self
Mastering Communication at Work
The Hook
Innovative Leadership Fieldbook
Innovative Leaders Guide to Transforming Organizations
20120318 Three Commitments
Leadership Vertigo
The Littlest Green Beret
Storytelling in the Land of Oz
The Camino Way
Hijacked by Your Brain
Outthink the Competition
Driving Innovation from Within
The Voice of the Underdog
The Inner Matrix
The Vision Code
The Most Unlikely Leader
The Leader with a Thousand Faces
previous arrow
next arrow
  • The Elegant Pitch
  • The Vision Code
  • The Inner Matrix
  • The Most Unlikely Leader
  • The Leader with a Thousand Faces
  • The Voice of the Underdog

Categories

This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

Our Course Offerings

Leadership Skills

Creating Your Leadership Maxims
Leading Inside the Box
Leading With Influence
Leading Through Change
Structured Problem Solving
Deliberate Decision Making
High Performing Teams
Simplified Strategic Planning
Strategic Business Planning
Coaching for Impact: Foundations
Coaching for Impact: Applications
Building Leadership Resilience
Engagement Management
Project Management Reality

Communication Skills

Communications: Foundations
Communications: Applications
Principles of Chart Design
Strategic Client Engagement
Storytelling for Leaders
Storytelling for Salespeople
Compelling Executive Presence
Advanced Facilitation Skills

Individual Skills

Conflict Resolution
Everything is Negotiable
thoughtLEADERSHIP: Innovation
Building Personal Resilience
Time Management Mastery

Coaching & Consulting

©2023 thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World. thoughtLEADERS, LLC is a registered trademark of thoughtLEADERS, LLC.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Policy
How rigorous are you about planning your time? Managing Up is About Expectation Management
Scroll to top