Leaders determined by whether they get a following
Our leaders have positions of authority because they have followers. Rather than relying on a top-down appointment process, where you often get promoted because you have seniority, or are the best friend of a senior executive, we allow the voice of the organization to determine who’s really qualified to be a leader, based on the willingness of others to follow.
One of my associates said, ‘If you call a meeting, and no one shows up, you’re probably not a leader, because no one is willing to follow you.’ At Gore, the test of leadership is that simple: are others willing to follow you? We use a peer review process to identify the individuals who are growing into leadership roles. Who are our associates listening to? Who do they want on their leadership team? At Gore, leaders emerge, and once they’re in a leadership role, they understand their job is to bring out the strengths of their teams, to make their colleagues successful
- Terri Kelly
Related
Peer ranking recognises real talent; stand aside formal job title
(Source: The Wall Street Journal)
