Mike Pelfini — 20 July 2026

CEOs and business owners in a peer group receive experience-tested insights from leaders who’ve navigated uncertainty before, and strategic guidance that’s proven to work in any economic environment.  Members gain new insights, receive candid feedback, and experience a safe space to practice new skills.

What are peer groups?

Peer groups bring leaders together for regularly scheduled meetings facilitated by an experienced coach who is an accomplished leader. Participants learn from and help guide other members of the group.

Peer group meetings and discussions are confidential, and member companies are from a diverse range of industries and are not competing with each other across those industries. In this safe environment, participants can speak candidly, practice skills, and reach insights they might otherwise miss.

As Linda Allen-Hardisty writes in a 2026 Forbes article, “Leadership is isolating by design. The higher up you go, the more you are separated from others in your organization.” The leader’s separate position isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But it does mean that leaders need to replace the support they once found in mentors and colleagues. 

Leaders who try to “go it alone” may miss valuable growth opportunities. For example:

•   Research from the University of Pittsburgh found that social support is linked to goal setting and attainment and has psychological benefits both for the people receiving support and for the people providing it.

•   Similarly, a study from the University of Leeds found that social support helps people form and maintain new behaviors.

•   Finally, a study published in Frontiers of Psychology found that social support increases an individual’s sense of purpose, which improves both goal setting and achievement.

In this article, we examine how peer groups work and how they can benefit leaders along their leadership development journey.  

– To watch it as a 8-minute video

– To listen to it as a 8-min podcast

The benefits of a peer group

Most leaders choose one-to-one coaching over facilitated group coaching, write Brenda Steinberg and Michael D. Watson in an influential article for the Harvard Business Review. But peer groups offer different and complementary benefits to one-to-one sessions, according to the authors. Some benefits of peer groups include:

1. Real-time group dynamics. In a one-to-one situation, the coach can’t see how a client interacts with others, but interaction is at the heart of group meetings. For leaders who want to improve communication and relationships, the group offers real-time insights and hands-on learning opportunities.

2. Different perspectives. A well curated group will include people from different industries, a variety of personalities, and different viewpoints. That can help members question comfortable assumptions and reason more clearly.

3. A safe space to develop new skills. The peer group provides a safe space for leaders to work on new skills such as listening without judging, giving and receiving feedback, and helping others find their own solutions.

4. Feedback and accountability. As the group builds trust, members will receive candid group feedback and perspectives. And when a member sets a personal goal or commits to taking a set of actions recommended by the group, the group can hold that member accountable for following through.

5. Developing a support network. Over time, peer groups build relationships that often endure even when people leave the group and its configuration changes. The experience of being in the group may also lead members to cultivate closer connections at work and in their personal lives.

Foundational principles for peer groups

Trust, honesty, and confidentiality. “In a thriving group, trust is paramount. You know that other members won’t breach your confidence,” writes Linda Allen-Hardisty in Forbes. Confidentiality is the cornerstone of trust-building in peer groups. Many groups read a confidentiality pledge to open each session.

As trust grows between members, so does their willingness to speak honestly and candidly. As Allen-Hardisty writes, “The more trust you build, the more apt members are to say, “Can I offer you a different perspective? I think you’re missing something.” For CEOs and other senior leaders, that level of frankness can be all too rare.

The benefit of an experienced facilitator. While some peer groups are self-managed, having an experienced coach to guide the sessions makes a big difference, according to Allen-Hardisty: “A skilled facilitator or coach helps a group manage a social support climate that develops both cognition and connection among members.”

The facilitator’s role is to maintain a productive atmosphere that balances listening to others, seeking advice, and offering guidance. The facilitator makes sure everyone contributes and feels heard, that the group is reaching core issues, and that the discussion stays on track.

In their Harvard Business Review article, authors Steinberg and Watson agree that trust and confidentiality are the keys to letting group members share doubts, show vulnerabilities, and get to the root of issues they might otherwise avoid.

In addition, the authors highlight these characteristics of successful groups:

1. Having a collaborative attitude. Group members take responsibility for helping others improve, not just pointing out mistakes or weaknesses. Members must be collaborative, objective, and fair. They support each other with constructive feedback and thoughtful perspectives.

2. Listening actively. Group members are thought partners. They provide perspective, ask relevant questions, and share views. Through their active participation, members show they value the skills, judgment, and experience of the others. 

3. Giving and receiving feedback. Members provide feedback to each other without avoiding shortcomings or areas for improvement. Members must also be open and humble to receiving feedback and seeing themselves from the perspective of the other members.

4. Being supportive and taking risks. Peer group discussions can precipitate strong emotions. To foster healthy relationships based on emotional intelligence and resilience, peer group members learn to productively hold space for their expression. Members must be willing to take risks by discussing their own challenges, questioning others on sensitive topics, and providing direct feedback.

Participation in a peer group provides development opportunities that don’t arise in the usual course of one-to-one coaching. As Steinberg and Watson write: “By asking for support from others and creating a safe place for exploration, you’ll build foundational skills for all future personal and organizational growth.”

In summary, peer groups provide a unique environment for leaders to discuss issues, ideas, and challenges that they can’t explore elsewhere. They provide opportunities to practice new skills. Most importantly, they provide a unique web of relationships and support for leaders who often experience isolation in their roles.  If you would like to learn more about peer group coaching please contact us.

About ForeMeta

ForeMeta prepares leaders for breakthrough transformation. Founded by leadership coach and Vistage Chair Dr. Mike Pelfini, ForeMeta focuses on the people who make the decisions—helping CEOs and leaders of small to mid-sized companies from all sectors to deepen their self-leadership, clarify their why, and expand their capacity to lead. 

Through either thoughtfully facilitated peer groups or 1:1 executive coaching, ForeMeta helps leaders create new possibilities and more fulfilling results for themselves, their organizations, and their communities.

©Mike Pelfini 2026, all rights reserved.