Want to Grow Leaders? Teach Them How to Elevate Their Peers.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of teaching graduate students as an adjunct professor at Rutgers University and Seton Hall University. Every semester, a familiar pattern emerges. The students who earn the highest grades are not always the ones who leave the greatest impression. The students who stand out most are those who somehow make everyone around them better.

They ask thoughtful questions that sharpen others’ thinking. They encourage quieter classmates to contribute. They elevate discussions without dominating them. When team projects encounter inevitable friction, they help restore confidence and momentum. Their peers trust them, seek them out, and often perform better because they are present.

Over time, that realization changed how I view leadership.

For decades, leadership development has largely focused on the individual. We teach people to communicate more effectively, think strategically, make decisions, and inspire others. Those capabilities matter, but the modern workplace increasingly demands more. Leadership today is no longer simply vertical. It is horizontal.

The ability to elevate peers may be one of the most overlooked leadership skills in business. You'll find the complete article here: https://ceoworld.biz/2026/05/21/want-to-grow-leaders-teach-them-how-to-elevate-their-peers/