A college degree has always been a steppingstone to personal development, career advancement, and access to leadership positions in society. However, in today’s knowledge-driven, globally interdependent world, being a leader is not an easy task. Leading your peers is even more challenging. To lead a team of peers, you must possess the basic characteristics of a great leader. Peer leadership is powerful because it’s a form of social support that contemporaries at the workplace are likely to perceive as more approachable and less threatening than that provided by older professionals and authority figures.
Providing leadership for your peers is expected when your career advances into mid-level executive roles, but that doesn’t make it any easier. It would be best if you transitioned the team from viewing you as a peer to believing in you as their leader while dealing sensitively with a coworker(s) who is disappointed they did not receive the promotion themselves or resent the idea of regarding you as the leader.
Sometimes, team leaders don’t find their work to be easy or seemingly natural. These leaders often do not have degrees in leadership; they are promoted because they are very good at their jobs. Their friends and former colleagues now report to them as they become “peer leaders.” There is a skill for leading former peers without encountering resistance, resentment, and regret. When your toolbox contains a simple collection of thinking, communicating, and acting that is coherent, ordered, and intentional, your leadership appears as if it is natural. When you are responsible for leading a team of your peers or former peers, the right combination of resources makes all the difference.
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Stuart Ridge says one of the most critical soft skills of a good leader is humility, and this is especially true when leading a team of your peers. You may be a natural leader, but this does not mean that you have all the answers. Use your team as a whole and rely on their skills and attributes; this will not only improve your performance as a team, but it will build trust and support among your peers.
The easiest and conversely the most challenging skill necessary to be a peer leader is to have a positive attitude. Your team of peers will react to your attitude, and the way you approach tasks will influence those around you. Remember, misery loves company, and so does positivity. When you begin your new role, you will want to show that you can exercise authority without being overbearing. Refrain from implementing every big idea you have planned at the outset. Start by taking steps to establish communication channels, such as having one-on-one meetings with stakeholders and discussing expectations. When you start making changes, people will appreciate that you took the time to gather their input. This mindset sets the tone for understanding, information sharing, and teamwork. The best peer leaders learn to harness their personalities to inspire trust and collaboration.
If the organization had considered someone else on the team for your current role, you should be sensitive to the disappointment they might be feeling. While they might need some time to adjust, you should still take steps to show that you value them as an employee and plan to support their development.
As a peer leader, you must always be intentional. As the boss, you can’t maintain close friendships you had with your former peers. It would give an impression of favouritism, which may lead to resentment and rancour. While you don’t have to wall yourself off completely, it is important that you limit how often you socialize with the team, particularly if the entire team isn’t going to be there. In another light, while employees sometimes want to be inquisitive, your peers want to connect with you. With intimacy comes great trust and loyalty. A consistent engagement with your team personally but within the business environment turns your role from a boss to a fearless leader, mentor, and teacher.
Leadership is complicated, so don’t worry if it takes you some time to find your bearings as a boss. As you figure out how you’re going to lead, it might be a good idea to test out a few different leadership styles. Try making subtle changes to what you do; it will help you figure out what works for you and what doesn’t. You’re not changing your personality, just experimenting to find what suits you and your team best.
Perspective is crucial in peer leadership. Being in a position that allows you to make strategic suggestions for your team and look out for the group’s interests is paramount to becoming a respected leader. The bottom-line is don’t be selfish, forget yourself or your interests and succeed together with the team. Saying what you foresee for the group and how you plan to realize that vision is a first step towards being viewed as the leader. The leadership style you demonstrate should be consistent with how you have led in the past. It can be powerful to get their input at this stage as well. A good question to ask is, “What can we do to make the team more successful?” It’s precious knowledge for you as a leader, and it also clarifies that you’re there to support them.
In conclusion, few things are more beautiful than a leader who knows how and when to listen, where and when to speak, the times to agree, and time to dissent. The best peer leaders know that understanding these experiences and traits leads to unbreakable loyalty, an impassioned work ethic, and, most importantly, higher profits to the company’s owners.
