Greg Bates, President and CEO of GID, was recently featured in an Institutional Real Estate, Inc. sponsored article about attracting and retaining new talent through company culture and career pathways.

The article, originally published on IREI’s website, features topics such as GID’s growth and business model, ESG efforts and DEI initiatives, as well as the “war on talent” and appealing to the new generation entering the workforce. An additional excerpt on the most important traits for new hires and leaders from Greg’s conversation with Chase McWhorter can be found below:

What are the most important traits that you look for in hiring? Are those traits different for a leadership role?

“When we are hiring, we are focused on our core values: energizing, inclusive, courageous, accountable. As you would for athletes, we’re looking for employees with tremendous potential. I’m looking to hire people who have high levels of emotional intelligence, an excellent work ethic, desire to learn and intellectual curiosity. We will train them in the specific skills they need for their roles, but if we fill the company with people who have diverse and complementary skills, and who fit our value system, that is the foundation for a highly successful company. Everybody here is a leader now. You don’t need formal power in a traditional corporate hierarchy to be a leader, but we do want team players — people who collaborate, people who can be team leaders, but also be members of the team when someone else is leading. I learn as much from our young employees as I do from our other executive committee members. We expect everyone to use their voice, be a leader and step up and add value to the company.”

To read the full interview, please click here.