Peer Leadership

Who’s in Charge — When No One’s in Charge?

Leading a group of your peers can be one of the most difficult and awkward situations that an individual can encounter.

In a traditional setting, the leader is immediately distinguished from their followers by their direct authority over them — but when you are all peers — that distinctive separation is nonexistent.

Paradoxically, while the peer leadership scenario occurs daily within every organization, it remains largely overlooked in the world of professional leadership development.

And this creates a situation that I affectionately refer to as “Musical Chairs”.

“Musical Chairs” happens when there is not a distinct leadership structure, and individuals are jostling for position — or a chair at the decision-making table.

You’ve probably seen it in your organization, a group project that’s been delegating down without any clear structure — and it transforms into a battle royal for decision-making power and status.

To best exhibit the impact of peer leadership, I am going to highlight a billion-dollar organization that is built on teamwork.....

The New York Jets of the National Football League

Beginning in the 2007 season, the National Football League began permitting teams to name up to six players as team captains. These team captains were selected by their peers to represent them on and off the field as the Team’s spokesman.

In 2012, the New York Jets became the ONLY team in the National Football League to have NO Team Captains……

It was truly a game of “Musical Chairs” as to who was in charge.

In the preseason, the New York Jets were predicted to compete for a Super Bowl, based simply on their abundance of talent — but they fell far from that mark.

Throughout the season, there were highly publicized disagreements within the team that led to physical altercations, detrimental comments to the media, player fines, employee firings, and most importantly — A LOT of Losses.

Five thoughts on effectively leading your peers:

1. Pride.

While you may have come from a previous situation in which you had a direct line of authority, you must realize and adapt to the situation at hand – you are an equal member of a team now.

2. Leadership Style.

You must be flexible with your leadership style in a peer group setting, as an autocratic approach will likely produce negative results — while a participative approach may produce positive ones.

3. Insecurity.

Members of the team may be hesitant to provide input because they are unsure of themselves — and they simply rather not welcome any embarrassment; and this is where you must foster an environment of inclusion.

4. Communication.

To optimize a group’s performance, everyone’s individual role should be identified and defined — and this can be enabled with effective communication.

5. Proficiency.

When stepping up as a group leader, be on your “A-game” when completing your individual duties, because you are setting the example for the team to follow — and your competence becomes the substitute for your formal authority.