Honored Leader: Eileen Fisher, Founder and CEO
Company Name: Eileen Fisher, Inc.
Location: New York
Nature of Business: Designer, wholesaler and retailer
of women's clothing.
Founded: 1984
Revenue: Over $100 million
Growth Rate (2002): 11 percent
Number of Employees: 445
Average Tenure: 3.5 years
Key Workplace Traits and Programs:
Fisher on leadership: "Number one, always look at the possibilities. Some of the company’s best decisions have come from living with and understanding mistakes. I believe that recognizing mistakes and their effects offers us a wealth of learning possibilities. As a company, some of our most costly mistakes have led us to more creative solutions and improved management.
"Second, listen and team. I believe that being a good listener is one of the most important roles of a leader. We have so much to learn from each other’s ideas and perspectives. We need to listen to others and encourage people to listen to each other. We believe in a team approach to so many things we do at [Eileen Fisher]. We believe that, whatever it is, we can figure it out together."