Over the weekend, I was doing some research on Gore & Associates, a Delaware company. I came across a quote by a Gore associate included in the second book edition of The 100 Best Companies to Work For in America:

“Why go to someone with a title when you can go to someone with an answer?”

It’s an interesting article that provides an inside look at the unique corporate structure and working environment within Gore.

Within the unique Gore environment, it’s a requirement that associates learn how to work with others, not only in their division but elsewhere in the company. Bill Gore believed this aspect of his lattice concept actually could be found in any successful organization, “underlying the facade of authoritarian hierarchy.” His plan was to legitimize this underground process by which he felt the real work gets done. “Most of us delight in going around the formal procedures,” he said, “and doing things the easy way.

Considering their highly collaborative environment, I would be curious to know how the company uses technology to facilitate and empower innovation and creativity. It’s interesting that considering their unique management approach, I had never heard about them in any of my MBA courses.