Designing Peer Circles That Matter: Hard-Earned Lessons from Duane Priddy and Eric Anderson

Most executives don’t need another event. They need a circle of peers who will tell them the truth, challenge their thinking, and help them make faster, better decisions.

That’s the heartbeat of the conversation at our January 20026 panel featuring Eric Anderson and Duane Priddy with Kurt Uhlir—where the topic isn’t networking, it’s relationships that compound.

In their words, the cost of going it alone is real.

Duane described waking at 3 a.m. with panic attacks at 33—even with $50 million in the bank for the company and the title to match—because he lacked a mentor and didn’t feel safe being vulnerable with bosses or direct reports.

Eric recalled being “left at the altar” during a sale process, only to recover with perspective and tactics from CEOs who’d lived that moment.

And Kurt highlighted a common failure mode: leaders swinging strategy based on the article of the week, instead of pressure‑testing big moves with a trusted cross‑functional peer group.

This article codifies the insights from that candid discussion, adds current data, and lays out a playbook you can use to design a peer circle that actually elevates your leadership and your company’s results.

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The Problem Your P&L Feels but Your Calendar Hides

Executive isolation is not a vibe—it’s a measurable risk.

Multiple studies continue to echo a core pattern first highlighted more than a decade ago: roughly half of CEOs report feeling lonely, and most of those say it hurts their performance. That finding, cited widely since an HBR snapshot in 2012, remains a live issue in 2025–2026 commentaries from Russell Reynolds, SHRM, and others.

The post‑pandemic workplace hasn’t solved it. Hybrid is holding in the private sector, but daily loneliness remains elevated—especially for fully remote workers—according to Gallup’s 2024–2025 data. (businessinsider.com)

That’s the human side of the ledger. On the financial side, AI has poured accelerant on decision velocity—and the risk of expensive detours. McKinsey’s 2025 State of AI coverage shows adoption is widespread, but only a sliver of companies see material EBIT lift; high performers behave very differently from the pack. Meanwhile, recent reporting on PwC’s CEO survey reflects that over half of CEOs aren’t yet seeing tangible benefits from AI, largely due to execution gaps. Translation: leaders are under pressure to act—and the majority still struggle to translate AI enthusiasm into results. (m.economictimes.com)

If you don’t have a trusted cross‑functional circle to sanity‑check big moves, you end up doing what Kurt sees too often: reallocating tens of millions because of a single “must‑do” article.

What We Learned in the Room

The panel surfaced five principles worth anchoring to.

1. Mentors help—but peer councils change your trajectory

Kurt framed it plainly: mentors have been helpful, but the most catalytic conversations often come from peers outside your company and function. Eric went further: when a deal cratered at the last minute, experienced peers normalized the gut punch and mapped the recovery path. That’s not theory; it’s execution intelligence.

2. Vulnerability isn’t optional if you want growth

Duane drew a line between “transactional” groups and the rooms that actually move leaders forward: authenticity, vulnerability, transparency, and reciprocity. In his words, “The posers…are never going to go below the surface.” The circles that last—where people call you at midnight from a parking lot because it’s safe—are built differently.

3. Convergence is where innovation happens

Duane’s definition is sharp: “Innovation is at the intersection of convergence—bringing together two disparate sources, intersecting them, and deriving a new insight.” His example—learning from a marine deck coating failure to improve AI and nonprofit processes—captures why you want CFOs, CMOs, operators, and product leaders in the same room.

4. Purpose clarifies where to invest your time

Duane credits a mentor (and Simon Sinek’s “Start With Why”) with reframing decisions around purpose, not activity: define the “why,” time‑bound it, measure success, then reverse‑engineer “how” and “what.” Purpose turns “maybe” invites into easy nos—and strengthens your yeses.

5. In‑person beats Zoom for trust—use digital as a bridge, not a crutch

Eric’s view is blunt: “You cannot build authentic relationships on a video screen.” The research explains why video drains us (nonverbal overload, perpetual self‑view), even as Gallup data shows remote employees report more loneliness. Use online tools tactically; prioritize face‑to‑face for trust and candor.

The Business Case for Cross‑Functional Peer Groups (Backed by Data)

• Executive isolation is common—and it undermines performance. Repeated analyses, from Russell Reynolds to SHRM’s 2025 advisory, cite the same pattern: around 50% of CEOs report loneliness, and a majority say it hinders their performance. Peer circles reduce isolation and improve decision quality.

• Trust and confidentiality are the compounding engine. Vistage’s methodology emphasizes confidentiality, structured accountability, and diverse perspectives—ingredients that map directly to what the panel described as “what is said here stays here; what is learned here leaves here.”

• Diverse, cross‑industry input produces better answers. The value of hearing from leaders outside your lane is not just feel‑good; it’s a known antidote to confirmation bias and a spark for new solutions—again, a theme embedded in Vistage’s positioning and mirrored across peer‑group research.

• Servant leadership strengthens the culture that sustains peer groups. The Greenleaf Center’s work frames servant leadership as prioritizing the growth and well‑being of others—a direct match with the Netweavers ethos of “pay it forward” relationships. Groups that start with contribution, not extraction, build trust faster and go deeper.

• CEO Netweavers formalizes this “give first” operating system. The organization’s story and programming reflect two decades of convening cross‑functional leaders—sitting executives, encore leaders with multiple exits, and rising operators—around service, candid counsel, and real execution support.

Put simply: a well‑designed peer circle is an advantage. It accelerates learning, reduces decision risk, and steadies you when it’s 2 a.m. and the stakes are high.

AI Is Forcing Strategic Clarity. Peer Circles Keep You Honest.

Eric shared a crisp test he took from a client working on an AI roadmap: stop obsessing over UI, and use AI so users don’t have to navigate the UI at all. That’s a paradigm shift—and exactly the kind of reframing a strong peer can deliver in an afternoon whiteboard session.

Here’s the wider context every C‑suite should keep in view:

• Adoption is high; enterprise‑level impact is not. Coverage of McKinsey’s 2025 survey shows 80–90% of companies are using AI in at least one function, yet only ~39% report any EBIT impact—often under 5%. High performers (roughly 6%) distinguish themselves by redesigning workflows, training people, and pursuing growth and innovation—not just efficiency. (m.economictimes.com)

• Most pilots don’t move the P&L. An MIT‑reported analysis suggests that roughly 95% of generative AI pilots show no measurable P&L impact, usually because tools aren’t integrated into real workflows. PwC’s late‑2025 CEO pulse tells a similar story—more interest than realized value. A peer room can stop “pilot theater” before it starts. (tomshardware.com)

• Leadership is adopting AI much faster than the broader workforce. That gap fuels friction and failed rollouts. One late‑2025 study shows 87% of executives use AI at work, versus 27% of employees. Your roadmap needs peer scrutiny not just on the tech, but on enablement, change management, and risk. (businessinsider.com)

The takeaway: don’t chase headlines. Bring your hypothesis to a small, trusted, cross‑functional circle that will interrogate assumptions, translate for the board, and pressure‑test sequencing. That’s how you get from “AI everywhere” to AI where it counts.

Design Principles: Building a Peer Circle That Works

1) Start with Why—and write it down

Duane’s prompt is deceptively simple: define the outcomes (the “whys”), time‑bound them, and choose metrics you can count or feel. From there, reverse‑engineer the “how” and “what.” Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle remains a durable frame because it forces clarity before tactics.

• Why are we meeting? (e.g., accelerate decision quality on capital allocation, M&A, and GTM bets; reduce unforced errors; grow as servant leaders)

• What will we measure? (e.g., cycle time to decision, win rates, cost of delay avoided, retention of key leaders, NPS of the group)

• What won’t we do? (e.g., no selling in the room, no performative updates, no “advice by headline”)

2) Curate for convergence, not sameness

You want CFOs, CMOs, COOs, product leaders, and encore operators who have lived the movie you’re in. That “convergence” is the source of fresh insight—and it keeps you out of your own echo chamber. Duane’s line says it best: “I have mentors that are younger than me…because they inspire me with new ideas.”

3) Enforce trust like a contract

Confidentiality and candor are the currency. If your group won’t sign and live by “what’s said here stays here,” you won’t get past the surface. CEO Netweavers published norms underscore how confidentiality and structured accountability convert talk into results.

4) Balance relational depth with execution rigor

The panel drew an important distinction: transactional groups disappear when the task ends; relational circles keep showing up—especially when life gets hard. That doesn’t mean loose. The right structure nudges action:

• Short pre‑reads; crisp problem framing

• Rotating “hot seat” with a decision due

• Clear next steps, owners, and dates

• A five‑minute “what changed” debrief at the next session

5) Prioritize in‑person; use digital intentionally

Use online sessions for momentum between meetings, not as a substitute for building trust. Research from Stanford and others—along with Gallup’s loneliness data—backs the panel’s lived experience about why face‑to‑face matters more for authenticity.

6) Embed servant leadership

When leaders come to give first, groups compound value faster. That’s the Greenleaf lens and the CEO Netweavers ethos—pay it forward, build up others, and steward the community. It’s also how you attract encore executives with scar tissue and wins worth learning from.

Avoiding the “Shiny Object” Trap with AI

Kurt’s cautionary tale—a CEO considering reallocating an eight‑figure GTM budget because of one breathless article—won’t be the last. Use this three‑step filter in your peer circle:

Is it a growth or an efficiency play?

McKinsey’s 2025 coverage shows the companies with real EBIT impact set explicit growth and innovation goals alongside cost. If the proposal only trims costs without advancing the flywheel, your peers should push back.

What workflows change, and who’s trained?

MIT‑reported findings and broader coverage point to the same failure mode: pilots bolt AI onto old processes and never touch the hard stuff—workflow redesign, data readiness, governance, and frontline enablement. Demand a plan that changes how work happens.

How will we measure P&L impact at the use‑case level?

It’s normal that value is local before it’s enterprise‑wide. Define the use‑case metric (cycle time, conversion rate, error reduction), time‑box the pilot, and set kill/scale thresholds. Then schedule a peer group readout with the numbers, not adjectives.

Bonus: mind the adoption gap

Executives are embracing AI far faster than employees. Your peers should pressure‑test your enablement plan and your risk controls (accuracy, privacy, explainability), not just your demo.

Virtual vs. In‑Person: A Clear Policy

The panel’s consensus was straightforward: experiences that deepen trust and candor should be in person. Use digital touchpoints to maintain momentum and widen access, but don’t let convenience erode quality.

Why this stance holds up:

• Zoom fatigue is real; nonverbal overload and constant self‑view drive exhaustion and reduced connection.

• Loneliness and well‑being data cut against heavy remote reliance; fully remote workers consistently report higher loneliness than hybrid or on‑site peers. Your organization must be intentional to avoid this.

Your policy:

• Anchor quarterly sessions face‑to‑face.

• Use monthly virtual “hot seats” to unblock decisions.

• Keep cameras on for virtual sessions—but disable self‑view and cap sessions at 75 minutes to reduce fatigue (a tweak the Stanford research would applaud).

Purpose Keeps the Circle Focused

Duane’s purpose statement—love God, serve others, mobilize people for purpose—won’t be everyone’s wording, but the operating logic is universal: purpose clarifies your yes/no and sustains the long game.

Servant leadership supplies the posture. That’s the culture that makes peers pick up the phone at midnight and, years later, fly across the world to open a door for you.

Why CEO Netweavers Is Built for This Moment

Kurt called out something unusual about CEO Netweavers: encore leaders with multiple exits show up alongside current operators and rising leaders—and nobody is selling.

The ethos is NetWeaving, a “pay it forward” approach originated by Bob Littell and baked into the community’s DNA. The structure—curated gatherings, mentorship, and service—creates an environment where trust accelerates and relationships compound.

For two decades, members have advised companies at inflection points, mentored eMBA candidates, and partnered with the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. The result is a high‑trust “third place” for senior leaders—outside the office and beyond traditional networking—where candid counsel and real help are the norm. (ceonetweavers.org)

If you’re a senior leader, PE/VC partner, senior operator, or aspiring leader who values cross‑functional insight and long‑term relationships, this is the right room.

Pulling It All Together

The panel didn’t pitch a program. They told the truth.

• “I had $50 million in the bank—and panic attacks because I had no safe place to be vulnerable.”

• “I was left at the altar on a deal; experienced peers mapped the recovery, and we closed on better terms.”

• “Don’t flip a $20 million GTM budget because of one article.”

• “You can’t build authentic relationships on a video screen.”

Pair those lived experiences with what the data says:

• leaders are lonelier than they admit;
• hybrid is here but doesn’t erase isolation;
• AI is everywhere but enterprise‑wide impact is rare and requires workflow redesign, enablement, and discipline.

Peer circles—built on trust, convergence, and a pay‑it‑forward ethos—are one of the highest‑ROI investments a senior leader can make.

And yes, you’ll still need mentors. But as Kurt pointed out, those cross‑functional peers outside your org—the CFO who helps a CMO think like a board member again, the operator who’s been through a carve‑out twice, the product leader who can sniff out “pilot theater”—are the people who will change how you decide.

Ready to Act?

• If you’re in Atlanta or connected to Georgia’s operator community, spend a morning with CEO Netweavers. Meet encore executives, current operators, and rising leaders who serve first and give candid counsel—no pitches.

• If you’re outside the region, lift the playbook above and launch a circle in 30 days. Anchor to purpose, curate for convergence, enforce trust, and measure outcomes.

• Bring your hardest decision to your next session. Ask for challenge. Commit to a decision date. Report back with results. Repeat.

Strong peer circles won’t do your job for you. They’ll make you braver, faster, and more precise—especially when stakes are high and headlines are loud.

Choose your circle. Then build momentum.

Quotes from Eric Anderson

” What is said here stays here, but what is learned here leaves here.

“If Tony had told me the future was painting houses, I would have bought a brush.”

“I went to CEOs that had sold companies, I went to private equity folks to talk to them and get their perspective.”

“The most helpful was going to people who’ve been through it before and were like, go ahead, vent, then get back on it, and here’s how you recover.”

Quotes from Duane Priddy

“Fear of failure can blow up the sphere if your identity is in one slice.”

“Innovation is at the intersection of convergence.”

“I have mentors that are younger than me because they’re from converging, disparate places.”

“When it’s relational, you have to have authenticity or it doesn’t work.”

“Why is that purpose statement so important for me? It allows me to let my yes be yes and my no be no.”

“Be the initiator to hop on a Zoom call or FaceTime and get that happening.”

“When you’re 95 and you have your pink blankie tucked up, are you going to be counting dollars or remembering the stories of life change?”

Companies, Products, & Services:

• Ernst and Young (professional services firm)
• SAP (software platform; referenced as global rollout projects)
• Honeywell (referenced as a type of large company, not as part of a pitch)
• Vistage (CEO peer group organization)
• EO (Entrepreneurs’ Organization)
• Litmus Resources (referenced as part of a member’s background)
• AWS (Amazon Web Services; specifically referenced as a reseller/service in the community)
• Group Elephant (South Africa-based conglomerate)
• Elephants, Rhinoceroses and People (Conservation/social impact group under Group Elephant)
• Radical Mentoring (faith-based peer mentoring organization)
• Better Man (peer group curriculum/video series)
• Chattahoochee Tech (vocational school in Georgia)
• Inflection Point (referenced in boilerplate, business accelerator program for Georgia-based CEOs & founders)

Books Mentioned:

• “Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action” by Simon Sinek
• “Finding Your Purpose” by Reggie Campbell
• “Post Corona: From Crisis to Opportunity” by Scott Galloway