When Leaders Emerge

• Speaking on the start of the W.L. Gore and Associates company: You have to create the right foundation and values in order to ensure success.
• We don’t tell people what to do, we influence them to do what needs to be done.
• The leader shifts the energy and passion to the workers.
• The team decides which products/projects are worth working on.  Ideas are shared among the team before they get to the leader.
• Everyone wants to be viewed by their peers as making the greatest contribution.
• As team members bring forth ideas, compensation is based on the contribution of each team member.  It is not based on leadership position or who is the loudest, but who is making the biggest contribution.
• W.L Gore has more coaches than bosses.  Each person in Gore has a personal sponsor who makes a commitment to develop another associate, to help them grow.
• Gore has many plants with fewer employees at each plant.  They believe in the divide to multiply philosophy of growth.  They have about 200 employees at each plant at max.
• The hiring process is critical.  Gore spends a lot of time on behavioral interviewing to make sure that they fit with the values of the company.
• Gore encourages risk-taking at certain levels (Waterline philosophy – don’t drill below the waterline, or you can sink the ship/company)
• The environment at Gore is that of leaders taking the time to explain themselves.  They see that as a great use of time to develop their associates.
• Terri admits that she is not the most knowledgeable person in her company. (Most leaders would NEVER say this!)
• She spends a lot of time with the leaders of the company to make sure they remain in line with the company values.

Main take-away for me:  Empower the people of your church to lead and to develop other leaders around them so that the values and mission of the church go forward.