EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP

MNGT 220
SPRING 2015
CASE STUDY ASSIGNMENT
DR. ANCA BOCANET

Developing Leaders at
Southwest Airlines
Prepared by
Mohamed Salem Alhashemi
201330371
Section 2

1. How does Southwest develop its leaders?

Southwest Airlines values leadership in the organization and has

assigned a specific person to take special care of this matter and take
full charge of the companys leadership program its CEO since 2001,
Colleen Barrett. First, Barrett ensures a special bond with all employees
of Southwest Airlines. She does this through regular visits in all of the
companys locations, individual meetings with its employees,
consistent sending of birthday cards and greetings during anybodys
birthday as long as they are employees of Southwest Airlines, and
acknowledgement of any special events. This kind of broad-based
development targets the entire width and breadth of the organization
as it pertains to leader development, leadership development, generic
development, and customized development. Barrett leads via the
example of a positive role model. In this regard, leader development
pertains to the expansion of a persons capacity to be effective in
leadership roles and processes. Meanwhile, leadership development is
defined as the focus on an organizations capability to get the work
done through its many leaders. Generic development pertains to focus
on education and learning the skills that enable employees to
effectively conduct their day-to-day activities and take care of their
coworkers. Finally, customized development pertains to a highly
individualized coaching and mentoring scheme for the companys
executives. With personal concern from the CEO and targeting all parts
of the organization in all levels, Southwest Airlines has a top-down
approach to leadership development. This makes the CEO well aware
on the strengths and weaknesses of the organization through constant
feedbacks from each individual employee. Thus, Barrett is in a better
position to determine Southwest Airlines leadership needs through her
brand of hands-on management. Second, Barrett sees to it that the
companys commitment to good leadership culture within the
organization starts with the hiring process and developed further
upwards. Individuals are carefully selected for their characteristics and
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personalities that fit in the companys culture. Those who do not fit in
are immediately replaced. Likewise, clear instructions and open
communication of the companys expectations are conveyed from the
very start. One characteristic that is very important to Southwest
Airlines development program is the willingness to learn. The absence
of motivation and readiness to change for improvement is an indicator
that a potential employee does not fit in the companys culture. Two,
another important characteristic is the ability to learn. This requires the
right combination of intelligence and personality traits such as good
smiling dispositions for Southwest Airlines frontline employees who
have constant contacts with its customers. Three, another significant
factor lies with the company itself and not on any individual. This refers
to the opportunity to practice and learn or access to developmental
experiences. Without these practical experiences, no amount of
classroom-type lecture will create progress in the leadership skills of
Southwest Airlines employees. Finally, four, the company makes sure
that its culture supports and sustains learning and development. It can
be discerned that Southwest Airlines keeps a careful balance of
development within the organization. It requires two factors of learning
from its employees as well as provides two factors of learning from its
end. Simply, the employee-side factors of learning are the willingness
to learn and the ability to learn. Meanwhile, the company-side factors
or learning are opportunity to learning and application of learnt skills
into practice and support and sustenance of learning and development
mechanisms. Third, Southwest Airlines provides a range of
development programs such as formal leadership training for everyone
including frontline employees, to presentation by outside consultants,
leadership briefings, and communication about leadership in company
bulletin. Moreover, these are augmented by leadership topics in
regular management-employee interactions and demonstrations of the
companys leadership principles through positive role modeling. Hence,
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Southwest Airlines develops its leaders in three steps. First, it

communicates its values and principles through a positive role model
in all levels of the organization. Second, it ensures that the corporate
culture of leadership begins with the employee hiring and selection
process. Finally, third, it provides the necessary mechanisms and
resources to promote and sustain the organizational culture.

2. What is the role of culture and fit in the success of the

company?
Southwest Airlines has adequately leveraged the American culture as well
the advantages of having a woman CEO and successfully incorporated
these into the organization. For instance, the American culture of ease in
controversial case discussions and open feedback worked effectively for
Southwest Airlines. The CEO has taken a personal responsibility to talk
and discuss with all employees in all locations of the company on a
regular basis. This has resulted in first hand awareness as well as
immediate feedback which made the organization very adaptive to
changes that ensured its success for 34 consecutive years. Barretts
brand of intensive feedback and developmental relationship which is
focused on individual performers from a top-down approach enabled
Southwest Airlines to be very competitive and profitable for quite a long
time. Moreover, Barrett has leveraged her gender advantages well in the
companys progressive developmental program. Studies show that
women tend to outperform their male counterparts in 360 degree
feedbacks. Of course, the clear communication of Southwest Airlines
expectations as well as its rewards and punishment scheme for the right
cultural fit appear to be the main ingredients for its success. For instance,
its hiring and training policy makes sure that those who do not fit do not
get hired or do not stay long. Next, it has a Culture Committee that
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preaches and teaches the companys unique culture. Likewise, the

company has its own leadership language. Finally, it has strong training
programs, promotions from within, and the telling and retelling of many
stories which makes Southwest Airlines culture, principles and values its
pillars of strength for 34 consecutive years of consistent profitability.