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Leadership Trends
Technology is bringing a change in leadership
styles. The command-and-control leadership methods of the last century are extremely
inefficient in the fast changing technology world. Motivating environments are needed on the front-line
with people who assume
responsibility and exercise leadership. To attract and keep this type of person,
the work environment must inspire and exploit employee capabilities.
Company's Distinctive Personality - This
is the future... Strong company personalities attract and repel certain types
of individuals. This is a result of company's policies, practices, or
priorities. Company personality is built and maintained by combining
motivation, opportunity, and creating a desire to learn. The result, a
super motivated environment.
Motivation Management - Leaders must
have coaching skills, not control skills. Motivated people have goals and
seek ways to achieve them. Efficiency is the result of motivated employees.
Continuous Learning Opportunity - Motivation is associated with the desire to learn.
There needs to be growth opportunity, without it, motivation dies.
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The Self-Motivating Work Force - Employees assuming responsibility for
their tasks. An
environment where workers trust management and management trust workers.
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The Self-Educating Work Force - With fast changing technology,
the only way to acquire new skills that stays ahead
of the competition is through self-education and team-education. Knowledge
must be acquired as it comes into the marketplace from its source. Educational
institutions offer advance technology courses only when there is a demand for
it. By that time, much of its competitive value is gone.
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Narrow Knowledge Gap - Most businesses
operate with a wide knowledge gap between worker and management. All through
history this has been the policy, it is job security for leadership. Today,
efficiency requires workers to assume responsibility and this requires the
narrowing of the knowledge gap. This is achieved by empowering workers.
Southwest Airlines - 1995
Southwest Airlines is an excellent example of social invention that helps
people discover their true
capabilities. The social environment combines humor with responsibility. Employees
work in teams without outside supervision. At job interviews, the prospective
employee must show a sense of humor along with other self-development
attitudes. Only those that match the ridged personnel profile are hired. The
result is a highly motivated, efficiency work environment that attracts
customers.
The facts speak for themselves. (As of 1995)
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Founded in 1971 as a low-cost regional air carrier.
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An early leader of worker responsibility.
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The company limits emphasis on the formal organizational structure.
Decision-making is by worker/management committees. Leadership meetings are
taped and shared with employees.
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The company has been profitable every year since 1972, including 1991,
when it was the only major airline in the black.
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Has 176 planes and one of the most modern in the industry.
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Flies more passengers per employee, 2,318 versus 848 for the industry.
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Has the fewest number of employees per aircraft, 79 versus131 for the
industry.
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Has the fewest number of customer complaints in the industry.
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90% of its employees are union members.
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Plane turn around time at the gate is 15 to 20 minutes compared to one
hour for other major carriers.
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Each plane fly’s 10 flights per day, twice the industry average.
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The company has never had a major accident.
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Many of the company’s employees are now millionaires.
Southwest Airlines is growing and other airlines have noticed. They are
trying to implement worker responsibility programs of their own. The choice is, move
decision-making responsibility to the front-line or go out of business. The days of
command-and-control leadership are over.
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