Howdy! Junior High, High School, and College are all unique places where the number of leadership opportunities is insurmountable.  Further, most of the leadership opportunities available are among peers.  This presents something of an interesting situation because leading one’s peers is not always the easiest thing to do.  So, here is a list of tips that I have collected over many years of leadership opportunities that have helped me lead peers effectively. Here are some tips for leading your peers…

Tip 1: Never take criticism personally, the answer is always “yes I will think about that.”
Naturally, with any leadership position, you will receive some criticism.  Often times, especially when those critics are your peers, it is hard not to take criticism personally.  It is important to understand that, coming from a trusted critic, criticism is not a character judgement on you.  In fact, some criticisms are out of one’s control.  In that situation the critique simply has to be passed on to the powers that be.

It is also important to make sure that peers know that their opinion is being heard.  So the answer to criticism is almost always “yes I will think about that.”  It is important that everyone involved feels that they, and by extension their opinions, are respected, even if they end up being unfounded.  This also allows everyone to take a step back and evaluate the situation.  In contrast, immediately responding to a critique often doesn’t give one enough time to consider a respectful response, positive or negative.

Tip 2: People listen to feet washers.
Feet washers are those who serve others with humility.  This is important in any leadership context however, when leading one’s peers, humility is of paramount importance.  Leadership will always be better received when people know that their leader is there to humbly serve them.  Just look at Jesus and his disciples.  While it isn’t always literal feet washing, humble service brings down a leader from above his or her peers to parallel with them.  This brings me to my next tip.

Tip 3: Never ask someone to do something that you wouldn’t do yourself.
Like being a humble servant, keeping from asking people to do things that you wouldn’t do brings you down to their level.  There are a lot of tasks to be done, whether leading an organization, a group project, or even a ministry.  It is important that those who follow understand that their leader isn’t asking something of them solely because they are unwilling to do it.

Tip 4: Always err on the side of grace
Grace is endless, Jesus taught us that.  Everybody makes mistakes sometimes, including leaders.  So, it is important to lead anyone, especially peers, with grace.  Leaders aren’t here to judge, only to redirect when needed.  Leading with grace paves the way to trust and respect on levels that are unmatched.  When faced with a tough situation, it is best to ask oneself “how can I show grace in this situation.”  Not simply because it builds trust and shows care, but because that is what Christ would do.

These are just four of the tips for leading your peers I have picked up along the way while leading my peers.  They aren’t clear cut, and look different for everyone.  However, I hope this helps you start to lead your peers better.