Contemporary Business Leaders : Colleen Barrett

People – One of the many things good about Southwest Airlines is that the kinds of people who are heroes of the organization are people who care and go out of their way to help the customers. They’re the ones who are celebrated and held up as shining examples. Additionally, high levels of satisfaction among employees can be attributed to Southwest employee policy. Happy employees can provide high quality service and bring more customers back. To reinforce the culture of hard work, high-energy, fun, local autonomy, and creativity, the company provided continuous education program to employees. If you can help someone out or brighten someone’s day, be it a co-worker or a passenger, you’re doing your job well.

Employees have a strong sense of loyalty to Southwest Airlines; their loyalty and admiration to Southwest CEO, Gary C. Kelly, makes the ability to influence the behavior of its employees easier. “Original employees – many of whom say they considered him more of a father than a boss – wanted to please and emulate him. Workers routinely went above and beyond the call of duty to help the airline thrive” (Trottman, 2003). Another form of power is reward power. There is an incentive for working at Southwest for a long time; Employees who work with Southwest Airlines receive benefits as well as stock options within the company. Southwest believes that hard work and dedication to the company should result in rewards and promotions. They do not rely on the reward system to motivate their employees, but they believe it is a great way to let employees know they are appreciated.

Southwest Airlines is dedicated to incorporating all servant leadership principles throughout their organization. Accordingly, their mission statement is clear and concise it evidently exemplifies all principles and acknowledges a servant-led organization. Their mission statement embraces their commitment to serve the highest quality of customer service through a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and company spirit (Southwest, 2014). Therefore, through Southwest’s’ mission statement it makes it explicitly apparent that they seek to listen and commit to the growth of their people. Southwest empathizes with their employees because they are dedicated to providing

At Southwest Airlines, the company’s business strategy has a positive effect on the training they provide to their employees. Southwest Airlines is a Texas based airline that started up in 1971 (Corporate Fact Sheet). Over the years the airline has been recognized for its outstanding customer service and its low airfare fees. Due to their excellent customer service, the company has been ranked number one in customer satisfaction in 2013 by the U.S Department of Transportation. In. 2015, Southwest airlines was recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in the Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award. The reason that Southwest airlines is recognized for all these great things is because they obtain a good organizational control over the airline.

Colleen Barrett is one of the most influential women in the world of business and her efforts have paved the way for future female executives. According to Dierendonck and Patterson (2010), “For five years in a row, SWA is the only airline to win the Triple Crown, ranked first in most on-time flights, least lost baggage, and fewest Customer complaints”(p 135). Colleen Barrett is a rare example of a leader that rose from the ranks of an organization to the highest position of the company while never receiving a formal education in business management (Southwest Airlines ' Colleen Barrett on 'Servant Leadership, 2008). Her greatest achievement while at SWA was completely changing the leadership style and atmosphere of the organization. According to Dierendonck and Patterson (2010), her remodeling of the organization has kept SWA the leader in their industry by “setting and achieving incredible records of performance”(p 135). Leaders at SWA still practice her servant leadership style of managing employees even after she left the organization (Dierendonck & Patterson, 2010). Before a leader can achieve greatness they have to overcome challenges in their career fields.

If I were appointed CEO of Southwest Airlines following Herb Kelleher’s resignation, I do not believe taking the assignment would be easy, however I do believe that the transition would be successful. The framework that Kelleher as set into place for his organization allows for a successful transition for his successor, because of the culture that set into place revolves around the employees and customers. Treating employees and customers great and focusing on employee engagement is vital to the success of any organization, Southwest and Kelleher have established found a promising method that has worked for over 40 years. Kevin Kruse (2012) defines employee engagement as the emotional commitment that an employee has to the organization and

Southwest Airlines' strong organizational culture is reflected in its mission statement "dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit" (Southwest, 2012). Southwest serves not only as a prime example of a company that excels in customer service and profitability, but as one that has utilized employee development as a means to meet these ends. Southwest makes a strong commitment to foster ongoing relationships with human resources. They demand that their employees are responsible members, however

During the rapid globalization, being one of the topmost and sustainable airlines is not easy due to the highly competitive airlines industry. Southwest Airlines, founded by Rolling King, Herbert Kelleher, and Lamar Muse in 1967, is considered a very long history of success following its goal that emphasizes on customers’ satisfaction. The key of organizational success relies on human value of Southwest CEO, managers, and employees who try to help each other in order to reach the customers’ best service because these people are the major factors to justify their own images that represent their organization. Furthermore, Southwest has motivated its employees to be more creative and improvable by allowing suitable norms and

HR Policies and Leadership: The advanced employee training techniques and employee engagement is an important element of Southwest’s success so far. The exceptional customer service which differentiates SW from their competitors is attributed to their strong employee base. Herb Kelleher, a transformational leader, led the organization by maintaining a fun-filled culture. By creating a friendly working environment in the organization, CEO of southwest airlines was able to retain the employees in the organization. Employees were not only extrinsically motivated to be in the company but intrinsically motivated to be a part of the Southwest Airlines family. It was demonstrated from the fact that when there was a downturn, managers froze their salary for 5 years just to maintain

When Herb Kelleher and Rollin King founded Southwest Airlines in 1971, their mission stated the “dedication of the highest quality of customer service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and company spirit” (Smith, 2012). With that mission in mind, Herb Keller and Rollin King managed to make Southwest the only profitable airline in the United States (Smith, 2012). Southwest’s mission is not the only reason why the airline continues to grow. Without the way, Herb Kelleher former CEO of Southwest, had developed a particular leadership style, power base, and a set way the organization motivates its’ work force, the company would not be as successful as it is

Southwest Airlines is one of the most successful airlines in the United States. There has never been layoffs or strikes in the history of the company, although there were several times when layoffs could have been justified, including the months following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. However, Southwest's Mission statement says “Above all, Employees will be provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the organization that they are expected to share externally with every Southwest Customer.” (Southwest, 1988). The Airline has always believed that their corporate culture is one of the keys to their success. The culture recognizes that employees have emotional intelligence and that their

The management style of Southwest airline is characterized by how greatly it takes care of its employees’ well-being. The management considers it as a mean to achieve higher customer satisfaction: “Keep employees happy, then they will keep customers happy”.

Southwest Airlines: Culture, Values and Operating Practices (in Thompson, A. A., Strickland. A. J. and Gamble, J. (2005) Crafting and Executing Strategy (Fourteenth Edition), McGraw-Hill, New York, pages C-636– C-664).

Southwest Airlines managers live the vision of the company by incorporating the vision into their everyday lives. Community, environment and caring are the

When one guises at organizational culture, one should correspondingly look at the principles, beliefs, and the vision of the Company. Southwest Airlines’ CEO, Herb Kelleher, is a man whose approach of treating all individuals with dignity and admiration helped the Company gain a competitive advantage over major airlines. The responsive customer service, reliability,