"Be nimble, quick and opportunistic."
The idea of being "nimble, quick and opporunistic" would be agreed upon by most business leaders and managers, but it's important to understand what makes that a possibility in any company.
Think in terms of a small business here. One thing they have over a large business is their ability to respond quickly to changing circumstances and opportunities. The reason why? In one word, it's communication! Because there are less barriers to communication in a small business, it takes a relatively short time to get things together and move.
This doesn't mean a large business can't do that though. Herb Kelleher, when he ran Southwest Airlines (LUV) was able to move quickly because he created an entrepreneurial business which had complete open communication and access to any needed data for its workers.
Those two areas which were part of the Southwest culture allowed them to operate and compete with the strength of a small business, and so were able to move far quicker than their competitors.
It's one thing to say we need to be quick and take advantage of opportunities that present themselves, it's another thing to execute it.
If we want that to be a part of our companies, we need to have the same open communication and availability of data to our people as well. Being nimble and quick can only happen within those parameters.
Other Herb Kelleher Sources:
Leadership: The Essential Herb Kelleher
Speeches and Presentations from Southwest Leaders
Southwest Airlines: The Hottest Thing in the Sky
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