Devoted to Managers and those that seek to improve their management skills

Working for a Worthy Cause

As you know from our continual talks on Herb Kelleher, it was one of his major achievements to communicate to his people the message of what Southwest Airlines (LUV) was in its essense. The result was that overall, everyone in the company understood who they were and what they stood for and responded strongly to those values.

Kelleher said that his "real accomplishment is to have inspired our people to buy into a concept, to share a feeling and an attitude, to identify with the company -- and then to execute."

This wasn't done through any other way than honesty. He didn't try to fool someone into thinking something; who he was by extension became what Southwest Airlines became. But the underlying reason was he was genuine in what he believed, and that was passed onto his people as he communicated it to them.

As a result, Southwest Airlines became an extension of the people working there, as the vision and purpose became one with them. People bought into it, had an emotional connection to it, identified with it, and as a result brought about tremendous execution in bringing the concepts to pass.

That's just a big way of saying that they believed they were working for a cause that was worthy of their best. They were believers is what it comes down to.

The belief originated in Kelleher's own strong, genuine beliefs and values that he than inspired his people to embrace. They did - and the rest is history.

Other Herb Kelleher Sources:

A Culture of Commitment

HERB KELLEHER

The wild turkey

Herb Kelleher on the Record, Part 1

Herb Kelleher Talks about How Southwest Airlines Grew from Entrepreneurial Startup to Industry Leadership

Belief Model for The Leadership of Herb Kelleher (Southwest Airlines)

Herb Kelleher, Chairman, CEO and President, Southwest Airlines

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