Remembering my friend and teammate from West Virginia University, Gordon C. Gordon, who passed away in Wheeling, West Virginia, about two weeks ago.
Gordon was a mine foreman, but that title captured only part of who he was as a person. What set him apart was a leadership style rooted in genuine care for the people working alongside him.
In an industry where safety and production often dominate the conversation, Gordon understood a deeper truth: the crew comes first. He knew his people by their names, their families, their concerns. He treated each shift not as a task to manage but as a group of individuals whose well-being was his responsibility.
That approach reflects what leadership research often describes as people-first, or servant, leadership, placing workers’ growth, safety, and dignity at the center of every decision. Gordon lived it long before it became a talking point.
What I’ll remember most:
– He listened before he directed.
– He shouldered accountability rather than shifting blame.
– He was quick to smile and laugh.
– He was easy to approach.
– He built trust that made crews safer and stronger.
– He led with steadiness and loyalty that never wavered.
Gordon was genuinely special, and his character and presence left a lasting mark on everyone fortunate enough to work beside him.
I know all of this because I heard it from those who knew and worked with Gordon.
Legacies are not automatic. They are chosen by those who decide which examples to carry forward. Gordon’s example is one worth carrying. And I know, Gordon was a better man than I’ll ever be!
If you had a leader like Gordon in your life, take a moment to honor them today. Better still, become that leader for someone else.