The Power of Peer Groups: Why Every Leader Needs One
Why Every Leader Needs a Peer Group
Success can be isolating. As entrepreneurs, executives, and business owners, we are expected to have all the answers, make the tough calls, and push forward—even when the weight of leadership feels overwhelming. However, here is the truth: no one succeeds alone. As a business leader, there are plenty of things you can outsource—finance, marketing, operations, but there is one thing you can’t: decision-making at the top and most of the time, there is no playbook for the challenges that come your way.
Early in my career, I tried to navigate those challenges on my own. I had a couple of mentors which are crucial but it wasn’t enough. They had made it already in a sense. I felt myself wanting more. I didn’t have anyone I felt I could really turn to for shared experiences. There was always a gap - a lack of space where I could be fully transparent about the real struggles of running a business and making crucial decisions for the business but also important life decisions. This changed when I joined my first peer group, YEO (now EO).
If you’re a CEO, founder, or senior executive and haven’t yet found a trusted peer group, you’re missing a critical lever for growth. Peer groups aren’t just about networking—they’re about shared wisdom, accountability, and perspective in a confidential setting. The right group can become a strategic asset in both your leadership and personal development.
I spent 18 years as a member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) and am currently in my 5th year as a Strategic Resource Partner with Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO). I’ve also co-founded Ascendeur and ManUprising. Additionally, I’ve participated in Leadership Denver and Impact Denver, programs run by the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce focused on leadership development. Across all these experiences, the common thread is a commitment to continuous growth through shared experiences in trusted, confidential environments.
These experiences weren’t just a helpful resource—they were and continue to be transformational. They changed how I think as a businessperson. They expanded my worldview, improved my decision-making, and introduced me to a network of high-integrity leaders I now count as friends. They were game changers—not just for me as an entrepreneur, but for my entire family.
The Value of a Peer Group
1. Experience You Can’t Buy
Leadership requires judgment, and judgment is refined through experience. Peer groups bring together leaders who have been through acquisitions, pivots, culture shifts, and hiring mistakes. Their insights can help you avoid critical missteps—and see opportunities you might miss on your own. In my peer groups, I have sat down with CEOs, founders, and executives who have navigated acquisitions, cash flow crises, hiring missteps, succession planning, and strategic pivots. Their lessons have helped me avoid multi-million-dollar mistakes and have given me perspective when it mattered most.
2. Confidentiality Creates Honesty
Most senior leaders don’t have a safe space. Peer groups offer something few environments do: radical transparency. You can share what is keeping you up at night—whether it’s stress over a key hire, tension with your board, or burnout. There’s no posturing. Just real, unfiltered dialogue among people who have been there.
3. Real Accountability
High-performing people often don’t get held accountable—they are the accountability. Peer groups change that dynamic. When you tell a group of respected peers what you plan to do, you follow through. The external accountability sharpens your focus and drives results.
4. Fresh Perspective from Outside Your Industry
Most business problems aren’t unique, but when you are surrounded by people from your own business space, you tend to approach them the same way. Peer groups often include leaders from diverse industries, which generates more creative, tested solutions. Some of the most valuable strategies I have implemented came from people running very different companies.
5. Leadership Includes the Personal Side
What I didn’t expect—but came to value the most—was how much these groups focused on the full picture of leadership: family, relationships, health, mindset. These peer groups created space for my whole life—not just business. Our family benefited from global learning events, retreats, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. EO and YPO are intentional about including spouses, kids, and families as part of the journey.
6. Growth Beyond Business
Peer groups don’t just make you a better executive—they push you to be a better parent, partner, and person. Many groups include structured time to talk about personal leadership: relationships, health, and family. Ignoring those areas catches up with even the best leaders. Integrating them creates longevity.
7. Access to Thought Leaders You Can’t Find Anywhere Else
These communities gave me opportunities I never imagined. I traveled around the world with leaders I admired. I sat in private sessions with business icons like:
Dan Cathy, Chairman of Chick-fil-A
Kendra Scott, Founder of Kendra Scott Jewelry
Tony Hsieh, the late CEO of Zappos
Brad Feld, Founder of Foundry Group
I was invited to sit with Heads of state and governors, including Jared Polis, Bill Owens, Bill Ritter as well as the former President of Columbia, Álvaro Uribe Vélez. The exposure to world-class leadership and thinking was unmatched—and it fundamentally changed the way I show up in business and in life.
10 Peer Groups Worth Exploring
YPO (Young Presidents’ Organization): Global network for CEOs under 45
EO (Entrepreneurs’ Organization): Founders with $1M+ in revenue
Vistage: CEO and executive peer groups with professional facilitators
Tiger 21: High-net-worth group focused on wealth and legacy
ManUprising: Midlife men ready to realize true success in all aspects of life
Chief: Executive network for women (VP and above)
Renaissance Executive Forums: Strategic growth for SMB leaders
Strategic Coach: Coaching for growth-stage entrepreneurs
WPO (Women Presidents Organization): Women-led businesses $2M+
Convene: Peer groups for Christian business leaders
Final Thought: Leadership is a Team Sport
The most successful leaders aren’t the ones who try to do everything alone—they are the ones who surround themselves with the right people, seek out guidance, and embrace continuous learning. If you’re not already part of a peer group, ask yourself: Where do you go for real, honest advice? Who holds you accountable to your biggest goals? Who challenges you to be better?
If you can’t answer those questions, it’s time to find your group because leadership isn’t meant to be a solo journey, it’s meant to be shared.
Warm regards,
Steve Ziegler
Founder & Managing Partner
250 Fillmore Street, Suite 150, Denver, CO 80206
steve@z3talent.com | z3talent.com
O 303.801.1771 C 303.669.2966