There are a lot of reasons you might decide you want a founding partner for your new peer advisory or networking group. Whichever type of group you’re considering, you could be asking yourself if your group would flourish with an additional leader. Someone of another gender, ethnicity, or professional background would bring a whole different perspective to the culture of your organization. Whatever your motivation for considering a co-leader, there are pros and cons to consider.

The Pros:

• A co-founder can complement your skills–This fact is a big plus, since some of your members will identify more with one leader vs. another. 

• You'll have “built in” support– When it gets tough, it’s so good to have someone to encourage you. Or if you have an emergency, someone can help run the group meeting.

• When you need it, you have another brain for thinking things through– When the difficult decisions need to be made, you don't have to make them alone.

The Cons:

• There can be trouble in dividing responsibilities– Do you and your potential co-leaders have similar skill sets? This similarity is likely to a liability. 

• More “cooks in the kitchen” mean you could use a shared alignment of your vision for the group– If your vision for the group begins to diverge, this can be detrimental to the group.

• Partnering with someone who has a differing level of commitment is a headache waiting to happen– If your co-founder doesn't uphold their end of the agreement, the benefits of a partnership are lost. You will feel overworked, which will lead to resentment.

If you’re wanting to start a group but not sure if a partner is the right move for you, I hope this list helps you think through some of the questions! If you are looking for more tips and encouragement to grow your networking or peer advisory group, join the Good Humans Growth Network™ mailing list here.