## 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
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