Successful_Lunch_501's journey

I recently faced a challenge while applying for new positions after being laid off from my role at a healthcare institution where I worked for 20 years. Given the circumstances of my layoff and the fact that my former supervisor had a limited understanding of my actual responsibilities and achievements, I felt uncomfortable using them as a reference. Instead, I considered reaching out to former colleagues and senior peers who could vouch for my work ethic and abilities, even though they weren't in direct supervisory roles over me. I’m curious if anyone else has successfully used colleagues or senior peers as references in similar situations, especially when applying for director-level or senior management positions. How did you explain the absence of your former manager as a reference? Did potential employers accept alternative references, or did they express concerns about not having a direct supervisor's input? I would appreciate hearing about your experiences and any strategies you used to navigate this tricky situation.