Online Golf Courses

Online assessments are available to serve a variety of business purposes.
Instructions on where to find the assessments and how to complete them can be sent electronically to group members. Access is restricted. Each executive receives his/her own results promptly by email. Assessments can be a powerful tool to help virtual groups get to know each other.

The more senior the level of participants in the group, the more time and effort it will typically take to establish the relationships on the front end. This can be more challenging to achieve with an online network where members have no previous connections with each other.

Gayle's suggestions for attracting executive members:

Invite members with personal invitations, not public announcements.

Optimize the membership portfolio.
Members should be of similar seniority, but ideally represent a diversity of skills, backgrounds, experience, and styles. Executive peer groups can be established for leaders representing non-competing industries or for leaders within the same industry if competition is not an issue.

Build trust quickly.
Help members identify common challenges and goals. Give members the opportunity to express the value they want to give and receive from the group.

Gain strong commitment.
Make sure members are willing to commit the time and energy to making the group a success. Avoid potential members who are simply experimenting or testing the waters to see what happens.

Establish ground rules.
When establishing a new group, let the group members contribute to decisions on how the group will function.

Use a professional facilitator if needed.
Many senior executives are accustomed to taking the lead in meetings. A skilled facilitator can help moderate the discussion to accomplish the most important outcomes for a particular meeting.

Rotate the meeting location.
Members appreciate the opportunity to host a meeting at their place of business. The group learns more about the hosting member's business by meeting in their own setting. Virtual meetings can be held on a bridge line for groups comprised of members that are geographically dispersed. Keep a consistent meeting schedule.

Plan social events.
Consider planning a couple of retreats during the year for the group. Plan a social event around the holidays. For virtual executive peer groups, meeting in person periodically at retreat-like settings is even more important.

Challenge members.

Online networks can be a powerful tool for any business person. They can be particularly powerful for busy, stressed, and multitasking executives -- like you.

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