January 8, 2025
Why Co‑Leaders Matter
Picking co‑leaders is culture architecture. The people you hand a badge to become a living extension of your mission. If they breathe the ethos, the community scales itself. You curate the direction by bringing on the right people.
Lead With the Mission
Members return for humans, not agendas. Leaders are your brand voice. ex. You are building a social biking club Choose the rider who sparks ten conversations before mile one. Running a performance team? Then cycling experience matters. Your selection criteria dictate what the people in the community end up valuing.
Representation Counts
When newcomers see leaders who look, sound, and think like them—age, ethnicity, profession—they hear, “You belong here.” Build a circle that mirrors the group you want to serve.
Consistency ≠ Leadership
Showing up every week doesn’t automatically make someone leadership material. If your perfect co‑leader hasn’t walked in yet, go find them. Fresh perspectives keep culture vibrant.
Balance the Archetypes
here are some example archetypes for a social running club.
- Social Butterfly – greets, remembers names
- Party Starter – amps energy, emcees
- Momma/Papa Bear – checks in on stragglers
- Creative Magician – ideates and executes
think about what archetypes you want in leaders and Mix and match for a well‑rounded team.
Set Expectations Early
Hand every new co‑leader a short Playbook: purpose, role, and guardrails. Clarity up front prevents headaches later. (Stay tuned for our next post on expectation‑setting.)
Invest in the leaders
Quarterly dinners, hikes, or game nights bond the leadership circle, prevent burnout, and keep everyone aligned.
The right picks multiply your effort; the wrong ones multiply your headaches.
Written by Gabe, Global Head of Community