The phrase “All hands on deck”, could be considered the motto of the Southwest Culture. Southwest Airlines Culture Committee Members are quick to respond to any S.O.S. call given and stand confident against any obstacle in the way of success. We have more than 300 Corporate Culture Committee Members here at Southwest, and that’s not even counting the numerous Local Culture Committees we have throughout the system at our Stations, Inflight Bases, Reservation Centers, and Provisioning Stations.
I remember learning about Culture in my History 101 class. It always seemed to be tied in with the chapters about religion and race. I can honestly say I had no idea the intensity of what Culture meant until experiencing it first hand at Southwest. The people of Southwest have redefined what Culture means. It is a way of life, a way to conduct a business, and a way to incorporate respect, FUN, and The Golden Rule, into every Employee’s day-to-day interactions.
What is The Golden Rule you ask? It is only the most important characteristic that Colleen Barrett, the Company’s President, entrusts in her Employees. Treat Others the Way You Would Like to Be Treated. Seems pretty simple, right? I will admit it is hard to put your stubborn side away sometimes. And I do not want to give the impression that everything is sugarplums and fairies at Southwest. We still have a business to run, but we have been taught to work together and to respect each other and to have FUN while working towards a goal.
I like to think the phrase “All hands on deck” stems back to the days of the Pirates. They were a group of people, different in many ways, who came together to accomplish a common goal. I guess you could compare the Southwest Airlines Culture Committee Members to a group of Pirates. We are all very different, maybe even crazy at times, but we will respect and look out for each other, work hard, and have FUN, all at the same time.
