Change Practices Not Principles
We've been talking about the absolute importance of not changing our principles ever, while embracing willingly the changing of our practices. It's imperative that we know the difference between the two.
When leaders make mistakes about either one of these, it can be the literal difference between success and failure. For example, if we think that something that is a practice is a principle, we could stay in the old way of doing things that could render us and our business or department mute as far as competing goes.
On the other hand, if we think a principle is in reality only a practice, we could never understand what we are and believe in, and as a result would move from one thing to another not ever settling into the reason for our business existence.
Kelleher talked about this in the area of communictions as Southwest (LUV) grew: 
"You learn how to communicate with large numbers of employees by using videotapes, newsletters, weekly updates, frequent visits to the field. You share not only what's going on in the company, but in the industry and the marketplace."
He was saying that practices must change as a company grows. In the area of communication to our people, there are all sorts of new things that we can take advantage of to ensure that the company stays on course and our people know what's going on. Picture if someone thought that communication was a principle and would never change communication, and only would talk face-to-face?
This may seem like an obvious truth, but it's not. I've personally seen numerous business leaders confuse the two. The result was that they would never get their bearings and would toss to and fro from one thing to another.
With practices, they would refuse to change them thinking that the process itself was vital to the continuation of the company and a principle that couldn't be changed. As a result they would end up at competitive disadvantage to those that were willing to change.
We can't be afraid to change our practices as new knowledge is brought forward that can help us to better serve our customers. The only time I would reject change is if it would result in us moving off of our principles. That's something that we can never do.
Other Herb Kelleher Sources:
Herb Kelleher on the Record, Part 1
Belief Model for The Leadership of Herb Kelleher (Southwest Airlines)
Herb Kelleher, Chairman, CEO and President, Southwest Airlines
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