When considering the value of professional peer groups, we need to recognize the value of working collaboratively with other executive leaders. As author and social entrepreneur Brian Sanders explains in "Five Keys To Cross-Organizational Collaboration," a commitment to cooperation will become essential in the future marketplace. He predicts a "collaborator economy" where isolated, self-reliant leaders who fail to collaborate will struggle to leave their desired legacy.
Sanders writes:
"The ambition, energy, hope, and even hubris of the entrepreneur tends to believe that your new organization is going to be the one to finally solve the problem. But the powerful forces of time and human brokenness will eventually disavow you of that notion. You were never going to change much alone. What can come to us as a feeling of futility can be reimagined when we shift our strategic thinking toward the multiplying power of collaboration."
"In other words, as long as we stay in our silos, we are right to feel like it is all futile. Because it is. But if we are willing to set aside our egos and our logos for the cause and come to the table of collaboration, the still daunting challenge is met with a new and reasonable hope."
At CIO Mastermind, we believe this spirit of cooperation is already critically lacking in many information technology forums today. Our goal is to facilitate productive cooperation among C-suite tech executives driving technological transformation.
Developing real cooperation among these leaders is challenging though, particularly in our individualistic culture. Let's explore three barriers we must overcome to build greater shared achievement during transformation in IT…
Individual achievement focus breeds competition in business. While healthy competition can fuel innovation, inflated egos hinder information sharing and teamwork. This approach stems from fear that joint efforts might undermine authority.
To counteract this, leaders must prioritize shared goals over personal recognition. Sanders even predicts competitors will eventually be seen as "potential allies in co-creation." This vision requires viewing peers as allies rather than rivals.
We’re all in this together!
C-suite executives typically manage different business segments with varied priorities. While a CIO might focus on IT transformation and cybersecurity, a CFO might prioritize cost reduction. These differences create friction when aligning strategies, especially in markets demanding quick results.
Successful collaboration requires integrating diverse perspectives into cohesive strategies. When we share our expertise, we develop comprehensive solutions to common challenges.
Effective collaboration needs better communication skills and more aligned goals. However, in cultures prioritizing independence, collective decision-making often suffers – especially in high-pressure C-suite roles.
To face this, leaders must develop clear communication channels and seek regular interactions with peers. This leads to more unified, productive decision-making processes.
Getting past these barriers requires a supportive environment where leaders learn and grow together. This is where CIO Mastermind's peer groups can become invaluable.
Our peer advisory groups provide a platform for C-suite leaders to share challenges, exchange insights, and collectively find solutions benefiting their organizations and leadership development. These confidential meetings encourage open dialogue essential for overcoming competitive tendencies and aligning diverse priorities.
An advisory peer group brings together C-suite tech executives in an exclusive, professionally facilitated forum. This is a place where you can tackle your hardest challenges, share practical insights, and build new strategies in a private environment.
Unlike other networking events or tech conferences, CIO Mastermind’s meetings focus on ongoing peer-driven advisory. In other words, you get to tap into collective wisdom, hands-on experience, and strategic problem-solving from other great executive collaborators who've already been in your shoes.
In his 2024 talk "The Perils and Possibilities of Working with Other Organizations," Sanders outlined key characteristics every collaborative leader must grow in:
Effective collaboration requires realizing you cannot reach goals in isolation. Many struggle with giving up individual agendas until they've exhausted other options. The sooner leaders recognize limitations of being the "lone hero," the better positioned they are for powerful alliances.
Great collaborators either become or find catalytic leaders — individuals who ignite collective movement without needing to sustain it. These leaders help start initiatives, create momentum, then smoothly transition to supporting roles, allowing others to take ownership.
This approach mirrors what our own peer group facilitators do. They bring their expertise to collaborative discussions, empower participants to contribute, then equip them to confidently implement their own solutions.
Every team player must define their unique contribution, which:
Because high-level leaders are accustomed to thinking of the needs and goals of their respective organizations, they often struggle to work well together. Most executives have not practiced operating as if their ventures are only a piece of the bigger picture. We must learn to see the unique gifts and advantages we bring to the table, without trying to get everyone around us to have the same approach or perspective.
This may require a new level of communication and patience, but when we pace ourselves properly, it proves abundantly worthwhile!
CIO Mastermind offers distinctive peer advisory groups for those ready to practice effective collaboration.
Here’s a bit of what sets us apart:
We maintain a strict no-nonsense policy with a thorough vetting process, ensuring only respectful, high-profile technology executives participate. No vendors, consultants, or sales pitches allowed in our forums.
Limited to 10-12 members per peer group, creating an environment for meaningful discussions among accomplished C-Suite leaders. Whether meeting online or in person, this size ensures in-depth discussions and personalized attention.
While relationships naturally develop, we concentrate on real-world challenges facing CIOs and those leading IT initiatives. Many CIOs lack access to a strong network of peers they can lean on for immediate advice during their hardest projects.
Unlike speaker-centric groups, our monthly meetings include two "bottleneck" sessions where members present their biggest concerns. These sessions delve deep into issues, offering clarity, insights, and actionable insights to overcome obstacles in IT transformation.
Monthly meetings held on Friday mornings serve diverse geographic locations and organizations of many kinds (including large to mid-sized private and public sector entities).
Guests and members commit to strict confidentiality through our Participation Agreement, protecting the comfortable sharing of any sensitive information.
Organizations facing difficult challenges will often benefit from both peer advisory groups and fractional CIO services. While peer groups provide collective wisdom and diverse perspectives, fractional CIOs offer hands-on implementation expertise for companies without the expense of hiring a full-time tech executive.
Many organizations find that engaging both resources creates a powerful synergy. A fractional CIO can directly implement the best practices and innovative solutions discussed in peer group meetings, while also bringing real-world challenges back to the group for collaborative problem-solving. This complementary relationship ensures that companies undergoing IT transformation receive both strategic guidance and practical execution support.
If you're looking to become the most serious, competitive, motivated version of yourself as a CIO driving transformation in IT, contact us today to test our peer groups.
We are confident you will see how they can elevate your leadership abilities and help fuel your company forward through even the most challenging technology transformation initiatives!
