Identifying Latent Leaders - Incite at Columbia University
Active Project
Identifying Latent Leaders
- Team Adam Reich Suresh Naidu Patrick Youngblood Emily Mazo
- In Partnership with SEIU Local 32BJ Communications Workers of America
Labor organizations often struggle to systematically identify potential leaders within their membership base, relying primarily on field representatives who are spread thin or self-selection among members.
The Columbia Labor Lab has developed a data-driven approach to help unions discover latent leaders–members who share characteristics with successful stewards and activists but haven't yet been formally identified or encouraged to engage in leadership roles.
The Lab’s predictive modeling approach analyzes membership data to identify patterns among existing leaders, then applies these insights to find similar members with untapped leadership potential. This methodology enables unions to proactively cultivate their next generation of organizers and expand their capacity for member engagement and mobilization.
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Interested in partnering with the Labor Lab to identify latent leaders in your organization?
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