Peernovation: What Peer Advisory Groups Can Teach Us About Building High-Performing Teams

There is nothing like the willingness of a group to work together to become a single unit working toward a common goal. The importance of group work is ingrained in us from an early age–from elementary school reading groups to cohorts in high school and college. Purpose-driven peer groups yield more than just an outstanding product; they mold and shape members along the way. Leo Bottary, author of Peernovation: What Peer Advisory Groups Can Teach Us About Building High-performing Teams, sets forth five factors common to all high-performing peer groups as well as the process of turning individuals into a finely-tuned team. From cover to cover, Bottary lays out a framework for readers highlighted by quotes, excerpts from movies, and real-life examples of teams and peer groups that hit the mark time and time again. I was especially impacted by the scenario Bottary presents on pg. 25. The image of a lone woman trying to applaud fiercely in a room full of her peers stands in stark contrast to what happens when there is a room full of members working together to fill the room with thunderous ovation. What could, otherwise, be a dry and boring topic to absorb becomes a fascinating read filled with tips readers can take away and put to immediate use. As a teacher who has used peer groups in my classroom for over 20 years, I can see the value of Bottary’s concepts. Not only does the author make clear the importance of careful selection of group members, but he drives home the fact that dedication to purpose and attention to group members’ contributions are both high priorities. Leo Bottary’s Peernovation: What Peer Advisory Groups Can Teach Us About Building High-performing Teams is a quick, engaging, and informative read that gives readers exactly what they are looking for without beating around the proverbial bush. Bottary emphasizes that one thing remains the same no matter the age of its members or the goal of the group: peer groups, when carefully selected and with all members invested, get the job done and done effectively.