"Everyone benefits from profitability."
There are a lot of ignorant people who misunderstand what it means as a business to be profitable. There is almost no substitute in the world that can do as much for a multitude of people than businesses being run profitably.
A poorly run business, or a business that takes its eyes off the reason for its existence, does more damage socially than all the hyped up, made up, dreamed up and theorized potential catastrophes that people with nothing better to do sit around all day and think up stuff like that.
These types of people have a variety of agendas which in the end hate the idea of capitalism bringing answers to the problems in the world. Instead they come up with an endless array of torments and fears that are spread to create fear in people so their particular agendas are considered important, and in many cases receive funding.
The point is profitability in business does more for people than anything else as far as needs and practical problems go.
Business leaders can do nothing better than commit themselves to creating and developing the most profitable company they can. Their goal should be that no matter what demographic or industry they serve in.
When business starts taking its eyes off of profitability and puts them on other peoples' agendas, they are about to experience a reality check as the business starts to falter and become uncompetitive.
Right now business is under attack by self-appointed do-gooders who think it's their job to pressure businesses to not be businesses but piggybanks for their cause. They will use an amazing array of strategies to create false guilt and use the media to attempt to shame them into action.
We need to resist this strongly. The greatest benefit to society we can be is to be a strong, solid business that provides great products and services to its customers and jobs to its workers.
This is what business is good at. When they focus on anything else they'll fail and falter under the weight of focusing on things outside their competence.
As Kelleher says: "Everyone benefits from profitability." We do more good reaching that plateau than any other goal we may set before ourselves. We need to resist anything that takes our eyes off the ball.
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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