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Peernovation Second Edition: Forged by CEO Forums. Perfected for Teams.
Peer•no•va•tion (pir-n-v-shn) combines the words peer (people of equal standing) and innovation (creativity realized). It is the act of working together to create something larger than ourselves.
This second edition of Peernovation stands on the shoulders of Leo Bottary’s award-winning books, The Power of Peers (2016), What Anyone Can Do (2018), and Peernovation (2020). It is informed by the wisdom and experiences of dedicated forum leaders, scholars, group members, and team leaders during more than 800 facilitated programs. Beyond that, the content leans heavily on the disciplines of collaborative learning theory, psychological safety, group dynamics, accountability, organizational culture, and systems thinking – building a bridge between the proven practices that have emerged from CEO Forums and what it will take to lead higher-performing, happier teams in today’s workplace.
Whether you are a team leader or team member, learn how
• select the right people for your team
• create psychological safety and inspire greater productivity
• build a positive culture of accountability
• become a better team leader
• foster a culture of continuous improvement
You'll find a foreword by HBS professor and best-selling author Amy Edmondson, updates to the original narrative and five new chapters – all of which will help you leverage the power of Peernovation among the several generations who comprise your workforce. We are at the forefront of leading through unprecedented change. Doing so successfully will require relying on each other like never before. Let’s get started.
This second edition of Peernovation stands on the shoulders of Leo Bottary’s award-winning books, The Power of Peers (2016), What Anyone Can Do (2018), and Peernovation (2020). It is informed by the wisdom and experiences of dedicated forum leaders, scholars, group members, and team leaders during more than 800 facilitated programs. Beyond that, the content leans heavily on the disciplines of collaborative learning theory, psychological safety, group dynamics, accountability, organizational culture, and systems thinking – building a bridge between the proven practices that have emerged from CEO Forums and what it will take to lead higher-performing, happier teams in today’s workplace.
Whether you are a team leader or team member, learn how
• select the right people for your team
• create psychological safety and inspire greater productivity
• build a positive culture of accountability
• become a better team leader
• foster a culture of continuous improvement
You'll find a foreword by HBS professor and best-selling author Amy Edmondson, updates to the original narrative and five new chapters – all of which will help you leverage the power of Peernovation among the several generations who comprise your workforce. We are at the forefront of leading through unprecedented change. Doing so successfully will require relying on each other like never before. Let’s get started.
288 pages, Paperback
Published March 25, 2025
1 person is currently reading
About the author
Leo Bottary
9 books8 followersLeo Bottary is the founder and managing partner of Peernovation, LLC. Leo takes what CEO peer groups have been doing so brilliantly for decades to help members maximize the value of their group experience and apply these principles to the teams in their organizations. He is an award-winning author of three books, with the second edition of Peernovation: Forged by CEO Forums. Perfected for Teams - now available. Leo is also a keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, opinion columnist for CEOWORLD magazine, and an adjunct professor for Rutgers University.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 11, 2025
Leo Bottary’s Peernovation is all about how teams, and more specifically, peer groups, can dramatically level up both personal and organizational performance. It’s got a clear message: we’re better together. Drawing on real-world experiences, psychological safety, servant leadership, and systems thinking, Bottary lays out how to transform “me” into “we” and turn groups into thriving, innovative teams. He builds his case with heartfelt stories, solid frameworks, and a whole lot of humanity. This isn’t another cold, data-heavy management book, it’s warm, real, and surprisingly inspiring.
I found the chapter about siloed thinking to be fascinating. The author tells a story about school systems teaching in isolation, history in one box, science in another, and how that same mindset creeps into corporate life, where departments barely talk to each other. Bottary doesn’t just point out the problem; he walks us through how learning together, sharing ideas, and being vulnerable with your peers can smash those silos. His anecdote about his experience in a learning cohort at Seton Hall was especially powerful. He went in with a "me" mentality and came out transformed by the group. That honesty made me trust him and made me reflect on my own journey as a teammate.
Then there’s the chapter on psychological safety, which deserves to be mentioned. It’s easy to toss around terms like “safe space,” but Bottary really gets into what that means in action. He talks about how leaders set the tone and how the best teams allow people to screw up, speak up, and be real. There’s a moment where he writes about people being more likely to ask “How are you?” than “What have you done for me lately?” in the midst of the pandemic. That kind of leadership, the kind that sees people first, isn’t just nice, it’s essential. Bottary argues that without that trust, you can’t innovate. And you sure as hell can’t grow.
And let’s not skip over the systems thinking part. At first, I was bracing for buzzwords, but this chapter surprised me. He tells the story of Apollo 13 and how engineers had to figure out how to put a square peg in a round hole, literally, to save the crew. It’s gripping. And it’s the perfect metaphor for what peer-driven innovation (aka “Peernovation”) looks like: people using limited resources, leaning on each other, thinking big-picture, and solving problems together. He even uses systems archetypes like “Tragedy of the Commons” to show how resource sharing can fall apart without mutual understanding.
Peernovation is a mindset shift. It’s a nudge to show up for your team differently. If you’re a leader, manager, coach, or even just someone who’s tired of Zoom calls that feel like you're shouting into the void, this book is for you. Bottary gives you more than a framework; he gives you a reason to believe that collaboration isn’t just efficient; it’s deeply human. I finished it feeling both smarter and more connected.
I found the chapter about siloed thinking to be fascinating. The author tells a story about school systems teaching in isolation, history in one box, science in another, and how that same mindset creeps into corporate life, where departments barely talk to each other. Bottary doesn’t just point out the problem; he walks us through how learning together, sharing ideas, and being vulnerable with your peers can smash those silos. His anecdote about his experience in a learning cohort at Seton Hall was especially powerful. He went in with a "me" mentality and came out transformed by the group. That honesty made me trust him and made me reflect on my own journey as a teammate.
Then there’s the chapter on psychological safety, which deserves to be mentioned. It’s easy to toss around terms like “safe space,” but Bottary really gets into what that means in action. He talks about how leaders set the tone and how the best teams allow people to screw up, speak up, and be real. There’s a moment where he writes about people being more likely to ask “How are you?” than “What have you done for me lately?” in the midst of the pandemic. That kind of leadership, the kind that sees people first, isn’t just nice, it’s essential. Bottary argues that without that trust, you can’t innovate. And you sure as hell can’t grow.
And let’s not skip over the systems thinking part. At first, I was bracing for buzzwords, but this chapter surprised me. He tells the story of Apollo 13 and how engineers had to figure out how to put a square peg in a round hole, literally, to save the crew. It’s gripping. And it’s the perfect metaphor for what peer-driven innovation (aka “Peernovation”) looks like: people using limited resources, leaning on each other, thinking big-picture, and solving problems together. He even uses systems archetypes like “Tragedy of the Commons” to show how resource sharing can fall apart without mutual understanding.
Peernovation is a mindset shift. It’s a nudge to show up for your team differently. If you’re a leader, manager, coach, or even just someone who’s tired of Zoom calls that feel like you're shouting into the void, this book is for you. Bottary gives you more than a framework; he gives you a reason to believe that collaboration isn’t just efficient; it’s deeply human. I finished it feeling both smarter and more connected.
April 12, 2025
Here's what Literary Titan says:
★★★★★
"Leo Bottary’s Peernovation is all about how teams, and more specifically, peer groups, can dramatically level up both personal and organizational performance. It’s got a clear message: we’re better together. Drawing on real-world experiences, psychological safety, servant leadership, and systems thinking, Bottary lays out how to transform “me” into “we” and turn groups into thriving, innovative teams. He builds his case with heartfelt stories, solid frameworks, and a whole lot of humanity. This isn’t another cold, data-heavy management book, it’s warm, real, and surprisingly inspiring.
"I found the chapter about siloed thinking to be fascinating. The author tells a story about school systems teaching in isolation, history in one box, science in another, and how that same mindset creeps into corporate life, where departments barely talk to each other. Bottary doesn’t just point out the problem; he walks us through how learning together, sharing ideas, and being vulnerable with your peers can smash those silos. His anecdote about his experience in a learning cohort at Seton Hall was especially powerful. He went in with a "me" mentality and came out transformed by the group. That honesty made me trust him and made me reflect on my own journey as a teammate...
You'll find the full review here: https://wp.me/p3cyvH-y6B, and Amazon reviews here: bit.ly/4lszQEb
★★★★★
"Leo Bottary’s Peernovation is all about how teams, and more specifically, peer groups, can dramatically level up both personal and organizational performance. It’s got a clear message: we’re better together. Drawing on real-world experiences, psychological safety, servant leadership, and systems thinking, Bottary lays out how to transform “me” into “we” and turn groups into thriving, innovative teams. He builds his case with heartfelt stories, solid frameworks, and a whole lot of humanity. This isn’t another cold, data-heavy management book, it’s warm, real, and surprisingly inspiring.
"I found the chapter about siloed thinking to be fascinating. The author tells a story about school systems teaching in isolation, history in one box, science in another, and how that same mindset creeps into corporate life, where departments barely talk to each other. Bottary doesn’t just point out the problem; he walks us through how learning together, sharing ideas, and being vulnerable with your peers can smash those silos. His anecdote about his experience in a learning cohort at Seton Hall was especially powerful. He went in with a "me" mentality and came out transformed by the group. That honesty made me trust him and made me reflect on my own journey as a teammate...
You'll find the full review here: https://wp.me/p3cyvH-y6B, and Amazon reviews here: bit.ly/4lszQEb
May 14, 2025
In our current climate it is both refreshing and helpful to read about the effectiveness of teams and being an effective leader. Leo Bottary’s second edition of Peernovation is a master study in how to foster growth of a team and of individual members and build a culture of accountability, success, and positivity.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews