To advance, many leaders keep their radars focused on building relationships with those ahead of them. In so doing, they often overlook peer relationships–a long-term strategic misstep.
“Power Peers” are people who can significantly help (or hurt) your success by speaking for you in a way you can’t. If, for example, you can’t make a meeting that’s attended by one of your Power Peers, they can share insights into you and your team in a manner that highlights your accomplishments. We also use the term “Power Peeps” to identify key stakeholders who can help (or hurt) our success along the way, but for this post, we’ll focus on the peers.
Power Peers are incredible allies who create space for you when you’re overwhelmed or struggling to meet deliverables. They’ll step in to “save the day,” and you would do the same for them. It’s collaboration at its finest, originating with a deep and genuine concern for the other person (personally and professionally).
But Power Peer relationships are not built overnight. They require investment and care to grow and flourish.
Here’s how you build and invest in them:
Step 1: Power Peer Reflection
The first step is to select a person, reflect on what you know about them, and explore what might be important to them.
- Identifying your most important Power Peers: Consider who you and your team rely on most to create successful outcomes. Who helps you tactically, emotionally, or mentally succeed? To whom might you and your team be Power Peers? Who might be “forever peers” and who might be “right-now peers”? Remember, some peers are temporary, and some stand the test of time, transcending companies and jobs. Make a list, sorting your peers in order of importance to you at this moment. Next, select one peer you’d like to get to know better.
- Exploring what you already know about your Power Peer: What are their core behavioral styles? What are their communication preferences? What motivates them to do the work they do? What matters deeply to them at work and outside? What are their hobbies? What accomplishments have they achieved in their careers? What did they do before they worked at this company? How many direct reports do they have? What are their key deliverables in the next six months? The specific questions are less important than the time you take recording what you know about them. One key ingredient in building Power-Peer relationships is a genuine curiosity about them personally, not just professionally.
- Considering your Power Peer’s key focus: What are their key deliverables in the next six months? How do they help accomplish the company’s mission/vision/strategic initiatives? How could you and your team offer support? What can you do to help things go right? What might they struggle with right now? What are they proud of accomplishing?
Step 2: Power Peer Meeting Prep
To discover the answers to the questions in your reflection exercise, you’ll need to meet with your Power Peer. Before doing so, be sure to prep for the meeting. Consider:
- What questions would help you get to know your Power Peer better? Write down at least five open-ended questions (that start with what, when, where, how, why, who) to ask to get to know them on a deeper level. You might use some of the questions from Step 1, or consider using some that popped up as you did the exercise. What are you curious about? What questions would help deepen your relationship personally or professionally? The purpose of this step is to prepare for the meeting and let your Power Peer know you’ve invested time in getting to know them.
Step 3: Inviting Your Power Peer to the Meeting
Be intentional in your invitation to meet. Opt for a short email instead of a random calendar invite, which could be confusing. Share that you’d like to get to know them better and “name the meeting.” State why you’d like to meet, and include a few of the questions you like to explore (especially helpful if your Power Peer is high Steadiness or Compliant). If at all possible, schedule an in-person meeting. If that’s not possible due to location or timing issues, a video conference is a great substitute. Consider your peer’s time zone and availability. Here are some great tips for connecting virtually (especially in a global scenario).
Step 4: Keep the Meeting Casual and Conversational
The purpose of the meeting is to deepen the relationship and get to know them better. Avoid making it feel like an interview. Casually go back and forth and keep the conversation light. It should feel like having coffee with a friend. Most likely, your Power Peer will have questions for you too, so avoid dominating the meeting or pushing your agenda. You might even find that none of your questions pertain to the vibe of the meeting. Go with the flow.
Step 5: Keep Connecting
Your work has just begun after the first meeting. Now it’s time to continue connecting, building, and investing in the relationship. Consider if you and your peer want to continue meeting or simply stay in touch ad hoc. Keep notes about your peer’s initiatives and hobbies. Follow up with appropriate resources, or check in to see how you and your team might be helpful.
Step 6: Continue to the Next Power Peer on Your List
This is not a “one and done” type of activity. Consider who you want to get to know better next. Work your way through the steps again and watch your network of Power Peers expand and flourish.
You’ll find these tips helpful as you intentionally expand your Power Peer network:
- Be genuine. If the other person feels they are being interviewed or interrogated, you’re off the mark. Remember to stay casual and open.
- Be vulnerable. Share and ask. It’s a two-way street, and you want them to feel they can call on you as much as you would call on them.
- Be a “go giver.” The more you give, the better you’ll feel. Consider how you can “help things go right” by focusing on giving vs. getting.
- Invest long-term. The goal is not to get quick results, but rather it is to generate long-term yields created in small steps over time.
- Reach out to one Power Peer at a time. Avoid the temptation to set up meetings with everyone on your list. Remember, this is an intentional process that requires time and energy. Avoid over-committing and under-delivering.
