Running Head: Final Case Analysis 1

ORGL 3332 BV2

Final Case Analysis

Developing Leaders at Southwest Airlines

Christian Gonzalez

December 9, 2016
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Three theories that can best be compare to the leadership of the southwest airline are
Hall's Cultural context framework, the contingency era: early 1960s to present, and path-goal
theory. In the short story developing leaders at southwest airlines, it mentions that when hiring
new employees they are very meticulous. They do not want to hire someone that does not fit the
airline spirit. They want people that care and have a since of passion for the culture in southwest.
Although leaders play a key pole in developing others, everyone at southwest is in charge of that
culture. Through strong training programs, promotions from within, the telling and retelling of
many stories, for which the company cofounder and past CEO Herb Kelleher is famous, the
culture is ever present. (Nahavandi, 2015 P. 337) This style of leadership can apply to two of the
three theorys I have chosen, Halls cultural context framework and Path-goal theory.
Halls cultural context framework talks about the groups of leaders. Leaders from high

context culture and leaders from low context culture. The leaders from the high context cultures

rely heavily on the context, including nonverbal cues such as tone of voice and body posture and

contextual factors such as title and statue, to communicate with others and understand the world

around them. They use personal relationship to establish communication. Communication does

not need to be explicit and specific, and trust in viewed as more impotent than written

communication or legal contracts. (Nahavandi, 2015 P.31) On the other hand the leaders from a

low context culture focus on explicit, specific verbal and written messages to understand people

and situations and to communicate with others. In contrast, in low context cultures, people pay

attention to the verbal message. What is said or written is more impotent than nonverbal

messages or the situation people are therefor, specific or clear in their communication with

others. (Nahavandi 2015 P.31) Path-goal theory, states that leaders allow subordinates to fulfill

their needs, and as a result, leaders reach their own goals as well. The concept of exchange

between leaders and subordinates, where it is an implicit or explicit contract, is at the core of

this model. The leader and followers establish a relationship that revolves around the exchange

or guidance or support for productivity and satisfaction. (Nahavandi, 2015 P.77) Due to the fact

that the southwest airline past CEO Herb Kelleher famous storytelling and retellings along with

the promotions from within the company falls under the leadership style of high contexts of
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Halls Cultural Context framework. Halls Cultural Context Framework is known for its leadership

high context rituals, trust, previous interactions and titles. In addition, the companys strong

training programs and promotions from within the company can fall under Path-goal theory. The

reason being is because path-goal theory is all about allowing subordinates to fulfill their needs.

Therefore lets say Tom want to get a promotion, due to the strong training programs southwest

airline has giving him, he would feel as though he deserve the opportunity for a promotion. And

because southwest airline likes to hire from within the company Tom can be giving that

opportunity. Within the airline Tom will have the opportunity of many promotions because the

Southwest seeks to an environment where leaders can be successful and for individual to become

great leaders. The airline constantly provides different forms of leadership trainings which is in

accordance to the path-goal theory. Path-Goal Theory contributes to our understanding of

leadership by once more focusing attention on the behavior of providing guidance and support to

followers (Navahandi 2015, P. 78).

The contingency era: early 1960s to present can be a leadership theory southwest airline

possess. You see the theory of the contingency era refers to leaders as "the primary assumption of

the contingency view is that the personality, style, or behavior of effective leaders depends on the

requirements of the situation in which the leaders find themselves."(Nahavandi, 2015 P.67) and

in the passage of the developing leaders at southwest airlines there is a sentence that fits this of

theory. The sentence is the goal of training and development to southwest is to perpetuate a

culture and a leadership style that have even effective. Barrett says that they are not shy about

closely monitoring their employees, getting rid of people who do not fit in, promoting those who

represent the spirit of the company, and holding their leaders and managers accountable (Sekula,

2007)". (Nahavandi, 2015 P.336)

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Over all the leadership theory that best suits the leadership of the southwest airlines is

path-goal theory. The main reason is because the path-goal theory proposes that the leaders role

is to clear the paths subordinates use to accomplish goals and the major conceptual basis for the

path-goal theory is the expectancy model of motivation. Due to the fact that Southwest Airlines

emphasized on developing customer-centered culture they have been able to make it through

tough times in comparison with other airline. By allowing their employees to feel as if they can

accomplish any goal the airline is in turn raising their self-esteem which will have a good turnout

for customer satisfaction. In southwest airlines David Radley, the recently retired vice president

of marketing and sales, talks with pride about southwest warrior spirit, which focuses on

caring, emotions, and putting employees first (Warrior Spirit, 2006) (Nahavandi, 2015 P.336).

Even when customers complain about an employee the airline will defend them, if the employee

was doing the job correctly.

Southwest airlines has a very supportive culture that is extremely disciplined about

motoring and coaching their employees. The way they care and motivate their employees for

excellent performance and to carries on the Warrior spirit as they say is because they are not shy

about it. Barrett says that they are not shy about closely monitoring their employees, getting rid

of people who do not fit in, promoting those who represent the spirit of the company, and

holding their leaders and managers accountable (Sekula, 2007). They also are not shy about

standing up for employees who do their jobs well, even when customers complain. (Warrior

Spirit, 2006) (Nahavandi, 2015 P.336). Once again going back to the Path-Goal Theory, the

leaders role is to clear the paths subordinates use to accomplish goals. Because the leaders in

southwest stand up for their employees and motivates them to live in the warrior spirit and are

very disciplined about the mentoring, coaching and training all while focusing on caring,
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emotions, and putting employees first makes the leadership of southwest airline a Path-goal

theory leadership style. The CEOs that Southwest Airlines had over the years is a huge

contributor to the success of the use of the Path-goal theory leadership style because they all

have lead by example and continuing to interact with employees, no matter their rank, on a daily

basis. The CEO understands that not all employees can be treated the same and ultimately find a

way to connect with all employees to keep up the great Warrior culture that they established

for the company.

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References

Nahavandi, A. (2015). The Art and Science of Leadership (7th ed.). Pearson Education, Inc.
Sekula, R. D. (2007). "Air superiority". Smart Business. Retrieved from
http://www.sbnonline.com/Local/Article/10596/71/0/Air_superiority.aspx
Warrior Spirit with a servant's hear: SWA's thriving culture of service. (2006). Knowledge: W.P. Carey.
Retrieved from http://knowledg.wpcarey.asu.edu/article.cfm?articleid=125