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Human capital - the talent, skills and knowledge of an organization - is one of those buzzwords that makes the rounds periodically. The concept of leveraging the human resources of an organization is not new, but the reality is that few companies realize the importance of looking beyond employees as merely an expense and recognizing the intrinsic value of human capital. The key is to calculate the return on investment (ROI) of that capital and leverage it to increase revenues. Of all the assets an organization has, the only one that produces any value is human capital. "Human beings are the only active assets a company has. " An enterprises, industries and countries are faced with grater competition as market are opened to global competition, the competitiveness of an enterprise or economy in the globalized market depends largely on its ability to adapt to changes in markets and to take advantage of the latest technological innovations. Now we try to research a leadership style of Herb Kelleher and his Southwest Airlines company. Twenty-nine years ago, Rollin King and Herb Kelleher got together and decided to start a different kind of airline.
They began with one simple notion: If you get your passengers to their destinations when they want to get there, on time, at the lowest possible fares, and make darn sure they have a good time doing it, people will fly your airline. And you know what? They were right. Within 28 years, Southwest Airlines became the fifth largest major airline in America (Southwest.
com). Southwest Airlines has experienced phenomenal success in the airline industry using techniques that run against the grain. Southwest Executives say employees come first, customers come second and do not punish for mistakes in judgment; instead, they give feedback on how to improve next time. Kelleher is well known for constantly flying on Southwest's planes, just to talk to customers and employees.
Each time, Kelleher asked every bodies nearby how well Southwest was doing in a number of areas, looking for trends, spotting inconsistencies. This strategy comes from a customer-focused belief: "We tell our people, 'Don't worry about profit. Think about customer service. ' Profit is a by-product of customer service. It's not an end in and of itself, " he told the Chief Executive Group in an interview. He described the company's marketing strategy: "We market ourselves based on the personality and spirit of ourselves. That sounds like an easy claim but, in fact, it is a supremely dangerous position to stake out because if you " re wrong, customers will let you know - with a vengeance.
Customers are like a force of nature: You can't fool them, and you ignore them at your own peril. " One of Kelleher's secret weapons is eschewing long-range planning. Instead, he favors an integrated, customer-focused plan that focuses on two things: what are the societal trends and where do they want Southwest to be within that society? Many people outside Southwest's executive circle are involved in this process. Kelleher's penchant for laughter and fun is part of Southwest's culture.
Prospective employees are asked how humor helped them out of a difficult situation. Prospective pilots are sometimes asked to don Southwest shorts; the ones who see the request as fun and a lark pass the interview. Kelleher once settled a legal dispute with another company over a trademarked slogan by publicly arm-wrestling the other company's CEO. Kelleher won.
Kelleher is always ready to play the fool, whether it's dressing up as Elvis for Halloween or driving a Harley to a company picnic. "People who emphasize too strongly the fact that they " re professionals usually are not very good at what they do, " Kelleher told e Company magazine. "What really adds up to professionalism is being very good at what you do in a very modest way. " The most important principles of Herb Kelleher are the next: Leadership Focus on what you can control. Develop a "street fighting" spirit. Share your purpose, vision and values. Be faithful and devoted. Recognise and encourage individuality. Be prepared.
Make people heroes. Don't take yourself seriously. Dare to be vulnerable. Show gratitude to those who support you. Forgive and forget - separate the action from the actor. Be authentic.
Mix with the troops. Treat everyone equally. Practice honest communication. Continually make people more valuable. Allow employees to do what they need to do to get the job done. Make the mission clear and hold the reins lightly.
See the competition as an invigorating challenge. Play to win. Think small and there is room for expansion. Be nimble, quick and opportunistic. Make the vision the boss - constantly ask "does this fit the vision?" . It pays to take turns at the hard jobs.
Those who exercise leadership will be rewarded. We must stand by each other in times of need. We teach what we most need to learn. Business Success Stay lean - it is difficult to hide poor performance. Share the profits - then everyone's well-being is linked with the corporation's well-being.
Be a force in readiness. Keep it simple. Be an entrepreneurship within a corporation. Manage good times for bad. Make the business an adventure.
Define your own targets and standards. Live within you budget. Look for things that you can do better. Be humble - success is reversible. Profitability is a pre-cursor to job security.
Do whatever it takes - there is very little traffic in the extra mile. Think small and grow big. Customer Service Be flexible enough to transcend rules. Choose service to others over self-interest. Serve the person behind the need. Give time and talent.
Cultivate a spirit of giving and make it a way of life not a technique. Celebration Celebrate everything. Celebration encourages creativity, creates a mini vacation, transcends routines, leads to unconventional thoughts, raises self-esteem, motivates, creates memories and bonds relationships. Corporate Culture Should nurture the spirit of liberty and freedom. Is the present manifestation of the past. It guides behavior, gives a sense of identity, tells the corporate story and is the glue that holds the organisation together.
Corporate Values Profitability, low cost, family, fun, love, hard work, individuality, ownership, service, egalitarianism, common sense, simplicity and altruism. Marketing Should reflect and model the corporate values. Should under promise and over deliver. Should reflect and promote the corporate culture to employees and customers. An advert should be an invited guest. Hiring Employees Find people with the right spirit, are other people oriented, are outgoing, work hard, have fun and have a sense of humour.
Train for skill - hire for spirit. Worked Cite: web What's love got to do with it? Geoffrey Colvin. Fortune. New York: Nov 12, 2001, Vol. 144, Iss. 9: pg. 60 Geoffrey Colvin. Fortune.
New York: Nov 12, 2001, Vol. 144, Iss. 9: pg. 60 Can Anyone Replace Herb? Katrina Brooker. Fortune. New York: Apr. 17, 2000. Vol. 141, Iss. 8, pg. 186 Brooker, Katrina. The Chairman of the Board Looks Back.
Fortune, May 28, 2001: 62 - 76. A Culture of Commitment by Herb Kelleher Leader to Leader, No. 4 Spring 1997 The wild, flying turkey with wings Ben McConnell September 1, 2001 We Weren't Just Airborne Yesterday Herb Kelleher, Chairman, CEO and President, Southwest Airlines Herb Kelleher on the Record, Part 1 Robert Heller Changing the scenario: Businesses should plan for multiple scenarios Belief Modelling and NLP Techniques for Belief Change
Free research essays on topics related to: human capital, corporate culture, southwest airlines, customer service, herb kelleher
Research essay sample on Herb Kelleher Southwest Airlines
