Peer Learning Changed How I Lead

In high school at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, our grades weren’t published and there was no class rank.

Without the race for 1st place, we studied together, challenged each other, and got smarter together.

That flipped a switch for me: compete where it matters; collaborate whenever possible.

The same dynamic has powered my work as a CEO and now as a Vistage Chair.

The largest leaps never came from a book or seminar; they came from peers who asked the hard questions I hadn’t considered or shared the playbook I didn’t know.

The catch with industry roundtables? You’re often sitting with competitors. That limits candor.

In my peer group, we gather senior leaders from diverse companies in a confidential room.

No posturing. Just real issues, real accountability, and decisions that move the needle.

❓ Where do you go to let peers challenge your thinking before the market does?