Job ladders are clearly laid out as are the requirements to climb each rung. Internal competition drives advancement, though initially the organization may compete with other academies for scarce expert talent. While dismissal for poor performance can occur, this culture typically experiences low turnover, with most of its employees exiting only through retirement. Thus, organizational specific training, predictable job sequence, and long-term executive tenure characterize the academy. Academies evoke in their employees a desire for professional growth and an identification with and loyalty to the institution.
Growth is seen as good both for the individual member and good for the organization as a whole.
This leader must know her membership and walk a fine line between risk-taking and stability. She must deliver new products and services, but recognize that her organization does not have the membership or the market that require the level of innovation that would put it at more than moderate risk. Such leaders want to inspire loyalty and keep their members motivated, while at the same time knowing the market well enough to come in right behind the cutting edge. Success in this culture requires that the leader implement and maintain an infrastructure that can deliver on its commitments. It involves the needs of the organization and the strengths of the leader.