HTG Peer Groups: Every Leader Needs A Coach

HTG Peer Groups is expanding its support system for solution providers with the addition of in-person consulting and coaching for leaders looking to take their business to the next level, as well some added content for its peer meetings, the group said last week.

With more than 300 groups around the country, HTG helps connect groups of 10 to 12 solution providers to collectively problem-solve and address a rapidly evolving industry.

HTG is now stepping beyond its established peer groups with a focus on in-person executive coaching for owners looking to deepen their leadership skills. The leadership coaching could be a sounding board for ideas, helping leaders think through decisions and helping provide future organization leaders with the skills they need to move up in the organization.

[Related: HTG Solution Provider Leans On Peers To Overcome Personal, Professional Challenges ]

"One of the big challenges we've seen is there's not a lot of depth of leadership in these SMB organizations," said Arlin Sorensen, founder and CEO of HTG Peer Groups. "We're trying to provide a way for them to equip folks and move folks up the chain in terms of leadership capacity."

The coaching can help members write job descriptions to provide clarity, set up delegation of responsibility, write a mission statement and more. The goal of all these tasks, he said, is to help the business become a stronger and more sustainable organization and let executives get back to focusing on what Sorensen called "life and legacy objectives."

"We have a percentage of companies that we work with that just want to go faster and get further down the road and are asking for additional help," Sorensen said, adding that 20 percent of members already have expressed their interest in the coaching. "The good thing about peer-to-peer interaction is there is a lot of wisdom, expertise and depth in what is shared, but unfortunately as companies grow they run into things peers haven't experienced before."

Brian O'Shaughnessy, CEO of Green Bay, Wis.-based ITConnexx and an HTG member, said that the HTG enhancements show that group cares about continually investing in and solving the challenges for its members, just like the members themselves do for their clients.

"HTG understands that many of the MSP's owners and executives began their career as technicians. Myself included, we often need help growing into leaders, and continuing to mature as leaders," O'Shaughnessy said.

HTG, he said, "recognizes the need for business leaders to continually grow and recognizes the need for us to be held accountable."

PUBLISHED MAY 23, 2014