How We Promote Exchange of Ideas
When asked about how he solicited ideas from his people, Herb Kelleher said that they had no specific method they used at Southwest Airlines (LUV).
Sometimes the most effective way to do things is the most simple, no, most the times it is. That was the case with Kelleher and other leaders in the company concerning ideas given them.
Whatever way an idea is communicated to them, the response is to take a legitimate look at the idea. Not a glance, but a look. Kelleher said everyone given ideas is expected to do this.
The most important part of the process to Kelleher was in how quickly they got back to those offering ideas up. He found that if you take too long to respond to ideas, it will cut off the flow. The other idea killer was if all that was done was to give a "no" answer.
About the only rule they had besides giving a legitimate look at the idea, was to make sure they got back to the submitters within a week. That was the basic guideline they found worked for them.
Those ideas that looked good were then given a real test. They would sent it to their marketing department, or wherever it would fit in the company, and from there it would be experimented with in the field for about a month to see how it works.
For Southwest this worked great. It kept workers encouraged to offer their ideas as they would receive reponses back one way or the other within a week; they knew their idea would get a fair, real look; and last they would see the ideas of their fellow workers or their own being put into field tests to show if they really were something that would work.
It helped to keep Southwest a leader in its field as their people initiated and suggested things that kept them market leaders for years.
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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