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Peernovation 2.0: Harnessing the Power of Peers to Drive Transformation in the Modern Workplace
Leo Bottary’s Second Edition of Peernovation reveals how peer-powered teams can unlock innovation, drive accountability, and transform today’s workplace into a hub of collaborative excellence.
Leo Bottary unveils the Second Edition of Peernovation, expanding on the proven principles of peer-powered leadership to meet the evolving challenges of today’s organizations.
In an era defined by rapid change, organizational complexity, and evolving workplace dynamics, few concepts have proven more timely—or more powerful—than the idea of leveraging peers to drive performance and innovation. Leo Bottary, External Advisory Board Member and CEOWORLD Opinion Columnist, brings this concept to life in the newly released Second Edition of Peernovation: Forged by CEO Forums. Perfected for Teams.
This updated version of Bottary’s influential work includes a Foreword by Harvard Business School Professor and best-selling author Amy Edmondson, and an Afterword by CEOWORLD Magazine CEO Prof. Dr. Amarendra Bhushan Dhiraj. Enriched with updated content and five entirely new chapters, Peernovation now draws from Bottary’s experience working with over 800 leadership teams and groups—a significant leap from the 125 cited in the first edition.
The Passion Behind the Movement
When asked what fuels his passion for the power of peers, Bottary’s answer is both timeless and urgent. “We have looked to one another to survive and thrive in this world for as long as we can remember,” he explains. “Phrases like ‘You’re known by the company you keep’ don’t just ring true—they are true.”
But for Bottary, the power of peers is more than a timeless truth. It’s a solution to one of the modern workplace’s most persistent challenges: aligning teams behind meaningful change. “Most leaders see their organizations as vertical constructs,” he says. “But it’s what runs horizontally that gives vertical structures their strength.”
By tapping into the collective influence of peers throughout every level of an organization, Bottary believes leaders can turn underperformance into performance—and potential failure into sustainable success.
What Is Peernovation?
At its core, Peernovation blends the concepts of “peer” and “innovation” into a framework that Bottary defines as: A carefully selected, diverse collection of people with a common purpose and shared values, working together to make each other better and create something larger than themselves.
The beauty of Peernovation lies in its flexibility. “When CEOs ask me how it will help their organization,” says Bottary, “I ask them how they want it to help. Because the truth is, all we’re doing is unlocking the talent and insights that already exist within your organization—and aiming it toward your most important goals.”
Rather than handing down directives, Peernovation encourages employee ownership of ideas, commitment to execution, and accountability to one another.
The DNA of High-Performing Teams
Drawing on his extensive work with CEO Forums, Bottary outlines three key dynamics and five essential factors that define the most successful peer-powered groups:
The Three Dynamics:
A Mechanism for Continuous Improvement – Known as the Learning-Achieving Cycle.
Intentional and Collateral Learning – Understanding not only what we learn, but how we learn.
A Servant Leader – Someone who leads alongside the team, not above it.
The Five Factors of High-Performing Teams:
The Right People – A curated mix of diverse, capable individuals.
Psychological Safety – An environment where people feel safe to express themselves.
Productivity Focus – A shared commitment to meaningful outcomes.
Culture of Accountability – Personal responsibility is at the forefront.
Servant Leadership – Leadership that supports, guides, and elevates others.
“These elements don’t fall into place just by putting people in a room,” Bottary notes. “They require intention, structure, and a shared commitment to growth.”
Why Now?
Timing is everything. Bottary believes this moment—marked by hybrid work models, generational shifts, and a global need for stronger collaboration—is exactly right for Peernovation’s renewed message.
“The first edition was written with input from about 125 groups. Now, after engaging with over 800, I’ve learned so much more,” he says. “This edition dives deeper into the dynamics that make these groups so impactful—and why they’re more necessary than ever.”
Early reviews of the book describe it as “practical and actionable”—a sentiment that Bottary finds most gratifying. “That’s the point,” he says. “The ideas only matter if today’s leaders can actually apply them.”
In Conclusion
Peernovation isn’t just a concept—it’s a movement built on decades of proven success in CEO forums and adapted for the complex demands of today’s teams. With its Second Edition, Leo Bottary offers a practical, inspired roadmap for leaders who believe that greatness isn’t achieved alone—but together.
Whether you’re a CEO, team leader, or aspiring changemaker, Peernovation provides the tools, insights, and inspiration to help your people rise—together.
