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

Make it Easy for People to Like You

There was a time when Kelleher was in front of the board of the National Civil Aviation Review Commission, and he said this to them: "Because I am unable to perform competently any meaningful function at Southwest, our employees let me be CEO. That is one among many reasons why I love the people of Southwest Airlines."

The one thing that Kelleher had done over the years is that he consistently avoided putting on any airs or acting important in any way. The result was that he made it very difficult for people to dislike him in any way.

Now what's important about this isn't whether someone likes you or not, and I don't think that Kelleher really cared about that, what was important was that people didn't dislike him personally.

Why is that important? In many business deals and dealing with authorities and commissions etc., sometimes the difference between pulling things off and making them happen is how you're viewed by those sitting across the table from you. If you're arrogant and disliked, things can go against you and make what you're trying to accomplish fail, or much harder to get going.

This doesn't mean in any way that you have to have the personality type of a Kelleher, he's obviously not the only type of personality that people like. Of course he has his unique way of saying things that make him who he is, but that's not going to work for the rest of us.

What's important is that he had a true humility and lack of thinking of himself as important. People knew that it was real and genuine - the reason they in truth liked him. The results were that he was able to accomplish far greater things for his people and the company because he in reality believed what he said.

People liked him because when they were with him they were made to feel like equals. He didn't do any of that talking down to you stuff. It took the tension out of the room so that he could present his case or offer his input in ways that had great chances of succeeding, simply because he removed the barriers to things that could cause people to dislike him. It worked powerfully.

Other Herb Kelleher Sources:

Special Event

Leadership: The Essential Herb Kelleher

The CEO as Brand Guardian

Herb's way

Speeches and Presentations from Southwest Leaders

Southwest Airlines: The Hottest Thing in the Sky

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