What Leaders Can Learn from the Peterson Phenomenon (Even If You're Not a Fan)

Something interesting caught my eye in The Economist recently - they ran a piece called "The Cult of Jordan Peterson." Now that's quite a headline.

I've been watching Peterson's rise from a safe distance, like watching a fascinating storm system on the horizon. Not jumping on any bandwagons here, just observing with genuine curiosity. And it got me thinking: setting aside all the controversy and heated debates, what can we actually learn from this phenomenon?

Because here's the thing - whether you're team Peterson or not (and I'm deliberately staying out of that particular arena), millions of people, especially young professionals, are deeply resonating with something here. As leaders and business folks, that's worth understanding.

So let's dig in, shall we?

The Power of Clear Talk in a Fuzzy World

First up: Peterson takes big, messy ideas and makes them... well, less messy. Whether it's about purpose, meaning, or responsibility, he breaks things down into bite-sized pieces. Sure, "clean your room" sounds almost comically simple, but that's exactly why it works.

Quick leadership gut-check: How often do we overcomplicate our message thinking it makes us sound smarter? (Guilty as charged, sometimes.) But what if clarity is actually the superpower we're overlooking?

The Responsibility Thing

Here's where it gets interesting. Peterson's big on personal responsibility - like, really big on it. And despite (or maybe because of) living in an era where it's easy to blame systems, structures, or circumstances, this message is getting a responce.

For leaders, there's a nugget of gold here: People actually want responsibility. Wild, right? They want to own their work, their growth, their impact. When we empower our teams to truly own their sphere of influence, magic happens.

Meeting the Meaning Crisis Head-On

Now this is fascinating - in our hyper-efficient, KPI-driven world, Peterson's tapping into something deeper: the search for meaning. And before you roll your eyes at how philosophical that sounds, think about your own team for a second.

Are they just showing up for a paycheck? Or are they hungry for something more? (Spoiler: it's usually the latter.)

The Authenticity Paradox

Here's the kicker: Peterson's polarizing nature actually amplifies his influence. Not suggesting we should all go controversial, but there's something powerful about being clearly and unapologetically yourself.

In leadership, we often try to please everyone. But maybe - just maybe - being authentically who you are, even if some folks disagree, builds stronger connections than trying to be all things to all people. Any thoughts? I almost did not write this :-) But I think it is important.

The Bottom Line

This isn't about becoming Peterson-lite? in your leadership style. It's about paying attention to what's resonating with people right now and why. Because if we're honest, the issues he's addressing - meaning, purpose, responsibility - these are exactly what our teams are wrestling with.

So maybe the real question isn't whether we agree with Peterson. Maybe it's: Are we meeting our people where they actually are? Are we giving them the tools to navigate their professional lives with purpose? Are we creating space for meaningful work and growth?

Because if we're not... well, they'll find someone who will.

What's your take? Have you noticed any surprising leadership lessons from unexpected places? Let's compare notes in the comments.

Rui Martins - CompassForLeaders.com