Facilitating Peer Learning Opportunities

This week, I facilitated a manager workshop on how to grow and develop people and teams. One question sparked a great conversation: “How do you develop your people outside of formal programs?” It’s a great question. IMO, one of the highest leverage actions a leader can take is making small, but consistent actions to develop their people. While formal learning experiences absolutely a role, there are far more opportunities for growth outside of structured settings from an hours in the day perspective. Helping leaders recognize and embrace this is a major opportunity. I introduced the idea of Practices of Development (PODs) aka small, intentional activities integrated into everyday work that help employees build skills, flex new muscles, and increase their impact. Here are a few examples we discussed: 🌟 Paired Programming: Borrowed from software engineering, this involves pairing an employee with a peer to take on a new task—helping them ramp up quickly, cross-train, or learn by doing. 🌟 Learning Logs: Have team members track what they’re working on, learning, and questioning to encourage reflection. 🌟 Bullpen Sessions: Bring similar roles together for feedback, idea sharing, and collaborative problem-solving, where everyone both A) shares a deliverable they are working on, and B) gets feedback and suggestions for improvement 🌟 Each 1 Teach 1:  Give everyone a chance to teach one work-related skill or insight to the team. 🌟 I Do, We Do, You Do:Adapted from education, this scaffolding approach lets you model a task, then do it together, then hand it off. A simple and effective way to build confidence and skill. 🌟 Back Pocket Ideas:  During strategy/scoping work sessions, ask employees to submit ideas for initiatives tied to a customer problem or personal interest. Select the strongest ones and incorporate them into their role. These are a few examples that have worked well. If you’ve found creative ways to build development opportunities into your employees day to day work, I’d love to hear what’s worked for you!

The Hidden Reason Your Accountability Group Isn't Working Most accountability groups are just glorified check-ins. You show up. Share what you'll do this week. Feel motivated. Then the next week rolls around, and half the group didn't follow through. And nobody says a word. I used to think accountability was about having witnesses to my goals. I was dead wrong. After joining 5 different groups that fizzled out, I realized the missing ingredient wasn't motivation – it was consequences. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝟵𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹: • 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿𝘀 "I'll sign 2 new clients" vs. "I'll send 30 personalized outreach messages" • 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆'𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 "Something came up" becomes the group motto • 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 Encouragement without follow-through is just feel-good theater • 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 Nobody wants to be the "bad guy" who calls out patterns Real accountability has teeth. 𝗜𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. The most effective accountability group I ever joined had a simple rule: If you don't complete your weekly commitment, you sing in front of the group. Suddenly, everyone's "emergencies" disappeared. True accountability isn't about shame . It's about creating systems that override your natural tendency to prioritize comfort over growth. What's the most effective accountability mechanism you've experienced? Or are you still searching for one that actually works? 👋 I’m Tanya, founder of OwnersUP and PeerProgress. I help entrepreneurs break default habits, stay aligned, and grow without burnout through real accountability and smart support systems.

Do you have trouble getting the entire team to participate in group discussions, brainstorming sessions, etc.? To get people talking in group settings, create a safe and inclusive atmosphere. Here's how: 1. Set Ground Rules: Make it clear that all opinions are valued and that it's a judgment-free zone. 2. Small Talk First: Warm up with light topics so folks get comfortable speaking. 3. Use Open-Ended Questions: Questions that can't be answered with just "yes" or "no" open up the floor for more detailed discussion. 4. Direct Invitations: Sometimes people just need a nudge. Call on them directly but offer an easy out like, "Feel free to pass." 5. Silent Moments: Pause and allow silence. This gives people time to gather their thoughts and often encourages quieter folks to chime in. 6. Positive Reinforcement: When someone does speak up, validate their contribution, even if it's just a simple "great point." 7. Anonymity: Use tools or methods that let people contribute anonymously. Then discuss the anonymous points as a group. 8. Break into Smaller Groups: Big settings can be intimidating. Smaller group discussions can make it easier for people to open up. 9. Rotate Roles: Give different team members the role of facilitator or note-taker in each meeting to encourage active participation. 10. Follow-Up: If someone doesn't speak up but you think they have valuable insights, follow up privately. They may be more comfortable sharing one-on-one. Remember, the goal is not to pressure people into speaking but to make it easier for them to do so if they wish. #leadership #teambuilding #communication

Silence is not golden. When people don’t feel safe to speak up, it leads to disengagement, unproductive conversations, and stalled learning across the organization. Here are 9 proven strategies to create psychological safety in your meetings: ✅ Set a clear agenda ↳ Clarity from the start keeps conversations focused and productive. ⚡ Pro Tip: Include key decisions, assign ownership, and use timeboxes to stay on track. ✅ Share materials in advance ↳ Pre-reads respect neurodiversity and allow thoughtful preparation. ⚡ Pro Tip: Missed the deadline? Reschedule to ensure quality input. ✅ Encourage active listening ↳ Listening signals that every voice is valued and helps build trust. ⚡ Pro Tip: Summarize contributions to show understanding and respect. ✅ Solicit junior voices first ↳ This helps reduce hierarchy bias and brings forward new perspectives. ⚡ Pro Tip: Align with leaders beforehand to prompt their feedback later in the meeting. ✅ Add a roundtable discussion ↳ Give everyone structured time to contribute—no one gets left out. ⚡ Pro Tip: Begin roundtables with clear intentions and invite all to contribute. ✅ Be an ally ↳ Research shows men interrupt women 33% more often—let’s change that. ⚡ Pro Tip: Monitor interruptions and say: “Let’s allow [Name] to finish.” ✅ Hold comments until everyone has spoken ↳ Facilitators should withhold their opinions initially to encourage unbiased discussions. ⚡ Pro Tip: Use open-ended questions like, “What perspectives haven’t we discussed?” ✅ Normalize questions and feedback ↳ Celebrate curiosity and encourage constructive challenge. ⚡ Pro Tip: Thank team members for asking insightful questions. ✅ End with clear action items ↳ Summarize decisions, assign owners, and set deadlines for accountability. ⚡ Pro Tip: Follow up with an email or tracker to ensure accountability. Looking to build stronger, more engaged teams? These small changes can lead to big results. In fact, psychological safety is the #1 predictor of high-performing teams. (Google’s Project Aristotle) Have you ever been in a meeting where psychological safety was missing? What happened? Drop your thoughts below. 👇 ♻ Reshare to help other leaders build high-performing workplaces. ➕ Follow Morgan Davis, PMP, PROSCI, MBA for insights on achieving operational excellence. 📌 Reference: 🔗 Google’s Project Aristotle: https://lnkd.in/grvspMpK

Recently a colleague asked me, “Laura, how are you able to get a group of complete strangers to bond so quickly?” It made me pause and reflect on my approach. Creating a strong bond among individuals is rooted in fostering psychological safety, shared experiences, and vulnerability. Here are some strategies I employ: 1. Establish a Shared Purpose Early On: - Define the group's purpose clearly. - Focus on the intention behind the gathering, promoting authenticity over perfection. 2. Initiate Vulnerability-Based Icebreakers: - Dive beyond surface-level introductions by asking meaningful questions: - "What's a personal achievement you're proud of but haven't shared with the group?" - "What challenge are you currently facing, big or small?" - "What truly motivated you to join us today?" These questions encourage genuine connections by fostering openness and humanity. 3. Engage in Unconventional Activities Together: - Bond through unique experiences such as: - Light physical activities (get outside and take a walk) or team challenges. - Creative endeavors like collaborative projects or improvisation. - Reflective exercises such as guided meditations followed by group reflections. 4. Facilitate "Small Circle" Conversations: - Encourage deeper discussions in smaller groups before sharing insights with the larger group. - Smaller settings often lead to increased comfort, paving the way for more profound interactions in larger settings. 5. Normalize Authentic Communication: - Lead by example as a facilitator or leader by sharing genuine and unexpected thoughts. - Setting the tone for open dialogue encourages others to follow suit. 6. Highlight Common Ground: - Acknowledge shared themes and experiences after individual shares. - Recognize patterns like shared pressures, transitions, or identity struggles to unify the group. 7. Incorporate Group Rituals: - Commence or conclude sessions with grounding rituals like breathwork, gratitude circles, one on one share. In what ways have you been able to create cohesion quickly amongst a group of individuals in a training session? #fasttracktotrust #humanconnection #facilitatedconnection

If you run a remote team, this is worth a read. Might be the coolest thing I've seen in ages. (Not perks. Not ai.) Something that makes life a bit better  We have 100s of devs across the Philippines, LATAM - everywhere. Some hybrid. Some fully remote.  Different clients, skills, experience etc Same thing: → Working solo most of the time. Heads down. Sometimes isolated. → Even when in the office. It kept reminding me of founder peer groups like EO, YPO, Hampton - Private forums where founders can share what's going on Talk openly. Share struggles. Help each other. No judgement. But founders aren’t the only ones who need that. Devs feel it too. Everyone does. So we asked: What if our devs had peer forums? Same rules: → No managers or direct team mates → Confidential safe space → Real talk on life and work We piloted it: Small groups (max 8). Same cohort monthly. Format: Share 1 work win + 1 work challenge Share 1 personal win + 1 personal challenge The group picks / votes 2 challenges from the group to deep dive on No advice - just experience-sharing The feedback? → One of the most special things I’ve done → Raw conversations → New real friendships → A safe space to learn and share ideas  What I learned: Peer learning might be the strongest form of learning Connection doesn’t just happen in remote - it has to be intentional Create the structure. Now they run the show They’ve planned their own hike next month I love this stuff. Thought it was worth sharing I think it could work anywhere - across roles, functions, or industries V cool to catch up with the pioneer group just now Danica Julius Darwin Stephanie Trishia Nicole Patricia. We told dad jokes. 🧡 Would love to hear if anyone else is experimenting with community building ideas 👇

Here's what Google's research on high-performing teams revealed: Psychological safety was "far and away the most important dynamic that set successful teams apart." Translation: People perform better when they feel safe to make mistakes, ask questions, and share ideas without facing rejection. But here's the facilitator's dilemma: You have 10 minutes before your PD starts. How do you create safety that fast? 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸: 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝟭-𝟮: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 - Learn names. Say them correctly. Make eye contact (or acknowledge people in chat). One teacher told me: "You were the first facilitator who asked how to pronounce my name right." 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝟯-𝟱: 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 - "I'm excited you're here, AND I know you might be wondering if this will be worth your time. My commitment is to honor your expertise while offering something new to consider." 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝟲-𝟴: 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 - Not rules you impose, but agreements you create together, for example: • Take care of yourself • Be fully present • Take risks • Be mindful of other learners 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝟵-𝟭𝟬: 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝘃𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 "I'm nervous about this new activity we're trying today," or "I don't have all the answers, but I'm committed to learning alongside you." 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝘂𝗰𝗲? Acknowledge the humanity in the room. We're all carrying something—stress from the day, skepticism from past bad PD, fear of looking incompetent. 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆:  ✅ "It's normal to feel [anxious/skeptical/tired]."  ✅ "There are no wrong answers here."  ✅ "I might make mistakes—please be gracious."  ✅ "Your experience matters more than my agenda." 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗼𝗳𝗳? When people feel psychologically safe, their brains can focus on learning instead of self-protection. That's when magic happens. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂? 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗼-𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄—𝗹𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀! 👇 P.S. If you want to grow as a PD facilitator, here’s my free Three Mistakes You’re Making with Your PD… and What to Do Instead tool: https://lnkd.in/guKwkGyu #PsychologicalSafety #ProfessionalDevelopment #Leadership #AdultLearning

I used to struggle to share my ideas in meetings bustling with dominant voices. Not because I was scared, but because I never felt comfortable. Ouch. My seniors and peers often told me: "Speak up, have a presence, be bold!" Well-intentioned advice. But the brutal truth was that I didn’t feel psychologically safe. So when I took on the role of a people manager, I became the leader I needed. I took on a mission to create a safe space where every team member could share their brilliance, their quirks, their questions, their doubts and feel heard. Here are 3 rarely-used strategies I adopted: ✅ Silent brainstorming: I replaced vocal discussions with written ideas; preventing the loudest voice from dominating. We'd share our thoughts by ideating in silence and voting together.🚀 The best part? No one knew whose idea was winning, leveling the playing field for diverse perspectives. ✅One-pagers for every meeting: People process information differently. To include everyone, I ensured every meeting had a one-pager for context and a list of attendees. This way, team members could prepare in their own way, and those who felt their presence wasn't essential could choose to opt-out. ✅ Mini Workshops > Meetings: These mini workshops were designed to encourage deep thinking, collaborative brainstorming, and silent reflection. Everyone had their moment to shine. We always left with 1-3 actionable takeaways — co-created and ready for implementation. 🚀 In the end, it wasn't about changing my personality; it was about embracing it and finding innovative ways to lead effectively. 💪 By creating a safe space for my team, I not only unlocked their potential but also learned the true power of silence in a world that often favors the loudest voices. What do you think about this leadership style? #leadership #product #teammanagement #womenintech #productmanagement #productmanager

Two of the biggest problems I hear about in leadership development: 1/ “Learning doesn’t stick.” 2/ “We don’t have a culture of learning.” BOTH of these problems can be solved. The key is to create a “learning ecosystem.” I’m not saying it’s easy...It’s certainly not something you can do overnight. But, these 7 tactics can go a long way: 1/ Hold a monthly community of practice Get your audience together each month (on Zoom). Use the call to: - reinforce key learnings - forge peer connections - give everyone a chance to ask Qs & share challenges - facilitate practice 2/ Create a Resource Vault Store learning resources in one live folder. Keep your docs updated in real time: - Insert new examples - Take & apply real-time feedback from learners - Create new resources based on what learners need The goal here is to make the vault a place your learners return to often. 3/ Send Weekly Behavioral Nudges Weekly behavioral nudges: - are a simple way to double or triple the value of an existing assessment or training program - can take a one-and-done program/assessment and add a year-long tail of exercises and key insights Nudges = STICKY learning 4/ Give Every Learner Access to a REAL Coach Use message-based coaching to: - expand the number of employees you can offer coaching to - meet employees at the exact moment that they need help 5/ Create a Peer Learning Network Peer learning tech enables collaboration in new ways. (And in ways that in-person can’t) Example: One leadership development team at a big tech company used a simple Google doc where learners shared questions, insights, and examples from over a dozen locations. As their doc grew… - themes emerged - ideas intersected - they had a running record of key info 6/ Deliver Microlearning in the Flow of Work Micro-learning: - makes learning available on-demand (open book test) - helps increase repetition to build habits - brings learning into the flow of work 7/ Trigger Organic Conversations You might: - use conversational guides (between peers or between learners & managers). - use prompts in your peer learning network - hold breakouts in your community of practice The idea is that over time, your learners will naturally use the language and ideas from your learning in their daily conversations. ____ Apply these 7 tactics (or even just a few) and you'll be well on your way to creating a learning ecosystem. One that will: 1/ take in new topics and spit out behavior change 2/ generate more feedback than you can collect 3/ solidify a culture of learning What other components do you include in your programs? #leadershipdevelopment