Final Case Analysis

By: San Isidro Navarro

A00007744

South Texas College

Behavior/Ethics/Leadership II

ORGL 3332
 Southwest Airlines leadership style is value-based and the most noteworthy style is of

authentic leadership. There are also attributes demonstrated by the management that leans

towards Halls Cultural context framework and positive leadership styles. Southwest Airline's

illustration of how they treat their employees and the atmosphere surrounding their culture are

traits that can be found in organizations with value-based leadership styles. Southwests warrior

spirit, which focuses on caring, emotions, and putting employees first. The culture at Southwest

Airlines can best be described as being fun, spirited, zesty, hardworking, and filled with love

(Shinn, 2004:18).

Southwest Airlines is unwavering in their expectations on leadership having the right

attitude, behavior, and demeanor. Southwest Airlines leadership style leans towards the authentic

leadership style because they have generated an encouraging culture which is set up to encourage

the development of leaders and leadership. The problem is that there seems to be no awe-

inspiring or innovative methods to coach their future and present leaders. Authentic leadership

style is more in line with that of Southwest Airlines does to develop their leaders. The leadership

at Southwest Airlines is tailored to the type of leaders that Southwest Airlines wants through

formal training by using consultants, by briefings, and by written and verbal communications.

Leadership in the organization is responsible for reassuring that the employees of the

organization suitable in the organizational structure by having the employees behave in a manner

acceptable to Southwest Airlines standards. The authentic leadership style is further

acknowledged as Southwest Airlines observes its employees and removes any employees who do

not manifest the previously mentioned characteristics of the organization. Through careful hiring

and training, the company makes sure that those who do not fit well do not get hired or do not

stay long. Caring about others, authenticity, and maybe most important, a sense of humor, are
prerequisites for being successful at Southwest. Ridley says: Our leaders have a genuine love

for people. We dont want you in leadership if you dont. If it's all about you, we dont want you

there are no BS [Big Shot] leaders at Southwest (Warrior Spirit. 2006). In essence, Southwest

Airlines incline towards individuals with good moral values that guide decisions and behaviors.

Authentic leaders rely on their values to behave ethically and develop the genuine relationships

with followers (Nahavandi, 2015 P.196).

Southwest Airlines also exhibits Halls cultural context framework, which 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 status, to communicate

with others and understand the world around them. They use personal relationships to establish

communication. In high-context cultures, communication does not always need to be explicit and

specific, and trust is viewed as more important than written communication or legal contracts

(Nahvandi, 2015 P.31). In contrast, leaders from low-context cultures focus on explicit, specific

verbal and written messages to understand people and situations and communicate with others.

In low-context cultures, people pay attention to the verbal message. What is said or written is

more important than nonverbal messages or the situation. People are, therefore, specific and clear

in their communication with others (Nahvandi, 2015 P. 31). The difference between high and low

context can explain many cross-cultural communication problems that leaders face when they

interact with those of a culture different from their own (Nahvandi, 2015 P. 32). Southwest

Airlines leadership style falls under high-contexts of Halls cultural context framework, due to the

past CEO Herb Kelleher famous storytelling and retellings along with the promotions from

within the company.

 Southwest Airlines can also be described as a culture which embraces positive leadership.

Most of the essential qualities that are emphasized at Southwest Airlines are similar to those

mentioned in the book for a positive leadership style. The essential qualities comprise of the

following; promoting positive deviance as exhibited in the advocacy of the culture, focusing on

potency as demonstrated in the companys leadership and generating employee growth programs.

This helps originate a positive climate as perceived in the implementation of Culture Committee

that is ingrained with the responsibility to encourage the positive culture, maintaining positive

relationships as noticed in the formation of a loving and caring culture where participation is

expected, and having positive communications as demonstrated in the companys culture.

Authentic leadership and positive leadership share common elements with other approaches to

leadership. They focus on the relationship between leaders and followers and on the sharing of a

vision for the group (Nahavandi, 2015 P.199).

Although Southwest Airlines can be associated with several leadership styles, Southwest

Airlines overall leadership style more closely follows that of authentic leadership. Southwest

Airlines has an organization which ideally represents the establishing and developing of the

relationship between the followers and the leaders. Southwest Airlines establish their leadership

through various leadership development programs. Southwest Airlines generates a positive

culture which supports itself by expecting that leaders inherit qualities fortified by ethical

behaviors. Authentic leadership is focused on the leader and on his or her self-awareness.

Authentic leaders rely on their values to behave ethically and develop the genuine relationship

with followers (Nahavandi, 2015 P.196).

 References

Nahavandi, A. (2015) The Art and Science of Leadership (7th Edition). Pearson Education, Inc.

Shinn, S. 2004. The Maverick CEO. BizED (January-February): 16-21.

Warrior Spirit with a servants hear: SWAs thriving culture of service. (2006). Knowledge: W.P.

Carey. Retrieved from http://knowledg.wpcarey.asu.edu/article.cfm?articleid=125