Some said: "... you've got to be just like the other airlines."
Even though some of the other airlines in the industry fought like crazy to keep Southwest Airlines (LUV) from taking off, they were still very contemptuous of the airline and its strategy. That's somewhat puzzling when you think of how hard they fought to keep them from becoming a competitor.
Some thought that they were more of an annoyance than a legitimate contender and option for customers.
N
ot only was it other airlines, but the financial community based in New York also. Every time he would go up there he would get the same admonishement that now that the industry was deregulated "... you've got to be just like the other airlines."
That's the thing about great entrepreneurial pioneers and rebels, they don't listen to those that attack their purpose. The great ones know when they have something and won't divert from their purpose no matter what someone tells them.
When someone tells them that they've got to be like their competitors, they run the other way. If we're going to be just like our competitors, then there is no advantage or purpose for us to be in business. How long will we last or grow if all we do is copy what everyone else is doing? I don't think it would be long.
Kelleher knew that to maintain Southwest's competitive edge, he couldn't give in to the endless chatter about caving in and just doing it like everybody else. It would basically be the end of the airline.
In an industry that struggles to make a profit every year, Kelleher and Southwest had something unique going for them. To change that uniqueness was unfathomable for Kelleher. He never did it under his watch, and neither should we.
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
Remember to Sign up for my feed, bizzbite and digg this!
Sponsored link: The outsourcing every manager requires - Tampa Locksmith
Comment Preview