The Peer Table Process

Meeting 1 

• Send around a sheet for names, addresses, phone numbers, and faxes.
• Decide when and where to meet and how often (at least once a month).
• Review all handouts.
• Ask everyone to complete all (or a portion of) the sheets on personal purpose, vision, and goals and bring to the next meeting.  Go over examples given.

Meetings 2 & 3 - Individual Purpose Statements 

• Distribute the list of names, addresses, phone and fax numbers in alphabetical order.
  
• Each member is asked to share his or her answers to each part of the personal purpose.  Start with "In my career, I am?" and end with the personal purpose. 
  Continue around the table until each person has gone through his or her vision and do the same for the goals.
  
• At Meeting #3 ask the members to write their business mission, vision and goals prior to the next meeting.

Meetings 4 & 5 - Business Mission, Vision and Goals 

• Each member shares his mission, vision and goals.  Go over each area separately, discussing as fully as necessary.
  
• Everyone is asked to bring their letters of agreements, contracts, and document techniques to the next meeting.

Meeting 6 - Letters of Agreement 

• Go over the letters of agreement, contracts and general discussion for methods of conducting business.

Meeting 7 - Value of Interior Design Services 

• Each member discusses the value of design services to clients based on the client's needs and perception.
  
• Inform the first person on the alphabetical list that he will be on the “hot seat” (opportunity seat) next time.  He needs to mail or fax his personal purpose, business mission, and problem to each member before the next meeting.

Meeting 8 - “Hot” or Opportunity Seat 

• At the beginning of each meeting, each person has a 3-minute check-in by saying how things are going-what has transpired since the last meeting.
  
• The person on the hot (opportunity) seat will read his personal purpose, business mission and topic, and explain the problem.
  
• Other members ask the person questions to draw solutions from this person.
  
• Members should refrain from giving solutions or telling their own stories – this is not easy. This time belongs to the person on the hot seat.
  
• The group leader should help the hot seat member see his blind spots, encourage listening, and keep the meeting running on time.
  
• At the end, the person is asked what task(s), (or homework) he could do before the next meeting that would begin to help the situation.
  
• At the beginning of the next meeting this person will report any results he accomplished from the homework.
  
• The procedure continues with a new person on the hot seat, checking in with the person who has homework, and a 3-minute check-in with everyone.

Subsequent Meetings - After everyone has had a turn on the Hot Seat 

• Encourage members to divide into pairs and form new peer tables with the general membership.  The original group may wish to continue to have their own meetings.  This original group can also serve as a backbone to aid in any questions or problems in the new peer tables.
  
• Encourage members to start or become a member of a business community round table where no more than one interior designer is present.  This round table will broaden the designer’s viewpoint and also help educate the business community about interior design.

• The Peer Table Process
• Peer Table Ground Rules
• Peer Table Downloads