Forum Disruptor Series: Did COVID-19 Break Your Forum?

COVID-19’s Lasting Impact on EO, YPO, and Other Peer Organization Forums

To say that the COVID-19 pandemic had a profound effect on the world is an understatement. Several years later, many YPO, EO, and other peer group Forums are still struggling to recapture the sense of normalcy, high takeaway value, and the overall group health of the pre-COVID years.

Although COVID-19 proved to be a Forum disruptor for many groups, other Forums experienced positive impacts from the pandemic. Let’s dive into the unique ways this global event affected the Forum experience, and if your peer group is still reeling from any negative effects, how you can overcome them.

Positive Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Forums

Amid the chaos and stress, there were some positives that came out of the pandemic. Some Forums were able to deepen their connections, as members grew closer over a shared concern and sense of humanity. They served as each other’s support group in a very stressful and scary time. Having a safe and confidential space to talk through fears, challenges, and company issues like employee and financial concerns was vital to many Forum members’ mental health and business success.

Moreover, members were able to brainstorm ideas on how to help their companies stay afloat during the pandemic. Together, they innovated ways to pivot to more pandemic-resistant business models.

Some examples in the United States include bakers and restaurants that were forced to shut down their brick-and-mortar locations. They began shipping their handmade goodies across the country, and years later, nationwide deliveries are still a large part of their business. And over in the United Kingdom, many businesses pivoted entirely. For example, a beauty supply company set up an e-commerce store, and a distillery shifted to producing hand sanitizer instead of whiskey.

The entrepreneurs and business leaders who join peer group Forums tend to be resilient, creative, and tenacious—and for some members, the pandemic brought out the very best in these traits.

How COVID-19 Became a Forum Disruptor

One of the many reasons Forum meetings and retreats are so impactful is that they’re face-to-face. The in-person nature of Forum get-togethers is, in large part, what helps deepen connections and encourage openness and vulnerability among members.

Unfortunately, during the pandemic, in-person meetings and retreats weren’t possible for many groups. Members had to prioritize the health and safety of their families over their Forum. And let’s face it: virtual meetings just aren’t as impactful as face-to-face ones. As members’ businesses were failing and they were losing loved ones to the pandemic, they weren’t able to have the supportive and confidential in-person Forum meetings when they needed them most.

Disruption of Expectations

Due to COVID-19, some of the agreements in Forum Norms and Constitutions could not be upheld. In addition to in-person meeting attendance regulations, many other terms in the agreed-upon Forum guidelines had to be suspended or abandoned entirely. For example:

In-person get-togethers. Post-meeting dinners, annual retreats, monthly lunch appointments, and other social gatherings were cancelled. While this was often due to local pandemic restrictions, other times members weren’t able to attend because they were ill or had been exposed to the virus.
Financial obligations. Forum dues and fines may have been deferred indefinitely if members and their businesses were facing financial hardship. In an effort to keep the group together, some Forums decided not to put this strain on members who were already struggling.
Group size. The number of members as dictated in the Norms or Constitution may have been ignored during the pandemic. If any members exited the Forum, the rest of the group might have chosen not to immediately recruit new members due to the uncertainty that COVID-19 created. When new members were added, some steps in the onboarding process that were meant for face-to-face interactions may have been handled virtually.
Forum roles. With so many things up in the air in the early 2020s, member roles were sometimes extended beyond the usual one-year term. Other roles may have been abandoned completely.
Meeting length and frequency. Most Forums meet monthly. However, when COVID-19 first forced international lockdowns, some Forums began checking in with each other weekly via virtual meetings to discuss what to do with their businesses. Other groups chose to extend their monthly meeting time to allow for more presentations to help their members. The typical monthly meeting expectations in the Norms and Constitutions became irrelevant.
No annual Norms or Constitution review. Many Forums chose to skip their annual Norms or Constitution review because they were in such flux.

On top of all of these changes and challenges, most Forums faced difficulty upholding one of the most important aspects of their group as they changed from in-person to virtual meetings: member confidentiality.

Member Focus and Confidentiality

Virtual Forum meetings—particularly when members joined from their homes—reared a variety of challenges. Members were often juggling their newly remote workforce, their children’s remote schooling, and concerns over ill family and friends. In many cases, there were just too many Zones of Presence for members to dedicate all their attention to the meetings.

Additionally, confidentiality and vulnerability became challenging. Since many people were forced to stay home in the early days of the pandemic, it was common for spouses and children to be within earshot of a member during their Forum meeting. This led to some members not feeling they could be as open and honest as they’d be in a private, face-to-face get-together.

Professional and Economic Impacts

It wasn’t only the meetings and retreats that suffered negative impacts from COVID-19. Some Forums experienced major changes to the group itself.

For example, financial hardship and business challenges brought on by the pandemic resulted in some members not having enough time or money to stay in their Forum, and they were forced to leave their peer group entirely.

Some people moved to a different city, state, or country in the early 2020s. The workforce had largely turned remote, and many businesses were closing, so it wasn’t uncommon for Forum members to relocate to be closer to their extended families. Although many of these individuals planned to move back after the pandemic, some chose to stay in their new towns and had to find a new peer group or chapter.

Political and Sociological Factors

Some of the most discouraging and emotionally challenging negative impacts the pandemic had on Forums were the political and sociological factors.

Members would sometimes disagree about wearing masks or social distancing. And when COVID-19 vaccines became widely available in early 2021, political divisions grew among some members, and there was disagreement over whether or not it was a good idea to become immunized.

These disagreements and the tension they created led to conflict in many Forums, with members either leaving to find a new group or exiting their peer group altogether. While some individuals searched for new Forums or peer organizations, their former groups had to rebuild, realign, and restore the Forum value of the pre-pandemic years.

How to Recapture Your Forum’s Magic

If your Forum is still reeling from the effects of the pandemic, there are a few steps you can take to rejuvenate your experience, boost your Forum’s health, and increase takeaway value:

Prioritize an in-depth review of your Forum’s Norms or Constitution at your next meeting. Go through each line in detail and make sure that every member is in agreement with all the terms.
Realign your Forum with a four-hour boost program at your next meeting.
If you haven’t taken a destination annual retreat recently, consider traveling for your next one. Forums are often able to achieve higher levels of depth during retreats when they’re away from home.
If your Forum lost some members during the pandemic, discuss your Forum’s size. If you bring in new members, learn how to incorporate them into your group.

It may be helpful to bring in a professional facilitator to guide your Forum through a boost or retreat. However, if your group is interested in a more DIY approach, there are plenty of valuable resources that can put you back on the right track.

For example, our Start, Stop, Continue exercise provides an opportunity for Forum members to voice their thoughts, concerns, and frustrations in a productive and non-confrontational manner. Feel free to bring this resource to your next meeting. If you’d like any guidance or assistance on addressing your group’s input and increasing your Forum’s health, we’re here to help.

Is Your Forum Still Impacted by COVID-19? We Can Help.

Many Forums are struggling to achieve the health and depth they enjoyed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic—so if your group falls into this category, please know that you’re not alone. ForumSherpa is dedicated to helping peer groups and independent Forums just like yours thrive.

Written by Britt Spread