Hardware Podcasts

S2E05 Why W.L. Gore is An Amazing Engineering (& People) Company | Elizabeth Mallett

Being an Engineer · 5 Feb 2021 · 58m · Episode 5

What this episode covers

Elizabeth Mallett, a Supply Chain Manager at W.L. Gore with over 10 years of tenure, contrasts the company's 'Theory Y' culture with her previous 'Theory X' experience at Rocketdyne and Pratt & Whitney. She details Gore's unique organizational structures, including the 'lattice' communication system that bypasses traditional chains of command, the 'sponsor' mentorship program, and the 'contribution and compensation' process where peers rank each other. Mallett explains how these mechanisms foster individual autonomy, direct communication, and self-fulfillment, while also noting challenges like decision-making speed and the risk of associates spreading themselves too thin across ad-hoc teams.

Most relevant to

large enterprises

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
W.L. Gore, Rocketdyne, Pratt & Whitney, DuPont, Cal Poly, Pipeline Design & Engineering
Materials
PTFE

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