OGL 481 Pro-Seminar I:

PCA-Ethical Communities Worksheet

Worksheet Objectives:
1. Describe the four ethical communities
2. Apply the ethical communities to your personal case situation

Complete the following making sure to support your ideas and cite from the textbook and other
course materials per APA guidelines. After the peer review, you have a chance to update this and
format for your Electronic Portfolio due in Module 6.

1) Briefly restate your situation from Module 1 and your role.

The continuing COVID-19 pandemic affects Southwest Airlines in many ways, including
passenger safety, canceled flights, and employee shortages. Southwest must protect
employees and passengers from a highly contagious airborne virus. Still, protective
measures like mask mandates contribute to verbal and physical violence against
employees and other passengers. Flights were canceled due to weather, illness, and
staffing shortages. After thousands of employees left Southwest at the beginning of the
pandemic, Southwest is ramping up its hiring efforts to meet customer demand.

My role in the organization is external, as a shareholder and a frequent customer.

Southwest has always been my go-to airline to travel to nearby cities as a former
Southern California resident. As I started to formulate my investment strategy, Southwest
quickly emerged as a good investment compared to other airlines. Southwest’s years of
operation, profitability, and return on investment made me feel like it was an outstanding
stock to buy and hold for the long term.

2) Describe how the ethics of the organization influenced the situation.

As I mentioned in the previous assignment, the main symbol for Southwest Airlines is a
heart, and love is ever-present in the airlines’ culture. Love is the soul of Southwest and
has been vital to its success for over 50 years, especially during a multi-year pandemic.
Southwest ethically responded to COVID, protecting its employees and passengers while
minimizing service disruption. Southwest accomplished this by adjusting its health and

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 safety protocols, requiring personal protective equipment for all personnel, and
intensifying cabin cleanings. In addition, when air rage incidents increased, Southwest
responded by suspending in-flight alcohol service for passengers to reduce contributing
factors.

Southwest has a culture committee, a group of 70 employees across the company that
spreads the company’s values and spirit (Bolman & Deal, 2017, p. 389). A culture
committee established long before the pandemic normalized an employee group that was
comfortable sharing their ideas and concerns with the organization’s leadership. I believe
this contributed to Southwest’s swift and responsible methods to address employee safety
concerns.

3) Recommend how you would apply one of the ethical communities for an alternative
course of action regarding your case.

The ethical community I would apply to Southwest Airlines is the Family because
Southwest’s values emphasize caring and love. In a business environment void of
compassion and love, Southwest has openly talked about love. Southwest has built its
foundation on love, and it is embedded into their culture. The company’s headquarters is
located at Love Field, its stock symbol is LUV, and its symbol a heart.

“Caring begins with knowing; it requires listening, understanding, and accepting.”

(Bolman & Deal, 2017, p. 393). Gary Kelly, Southwest’s former CEO, said the key to the
airline’s successful COVID response was believing in what he was doing and believing
in his people (Kim, 2021). Kelly’s internal and external communication was a simple
message: we will do everything to keep you safe, and if we do not think it is safe, we will
not do it (Kim, 2021). This messaging from the top let employees and passengers know
that the company cares about people, which was a powerful message in a difficult period.

4) Reflect on what you would do or not do differently given what you have learned
about ethics.

I would not do anything differently now that I have learned about the ethical frame. I feel
that Southwest’s reaction to the pandemic was appropriate, timely, and filled with caring.
This is consistent with the organization’s brand and its values. Southwest put people first,
its employees and its passengers, and maintained operations. I was even more impressed
that Southwest did not lay off any employees during the pandemic. Southwest has never
laid off employees in its 50 years of operations, which speaks volumes of how the
organization handles labor in a volatile industry. I feel that is a testament to living the
company values and making it a part of the company’s culture.

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 References
Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and
Leadership (6th ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. Retrieved from
https://app.perusall.com/courses/ogl-481-org-leadership-pro-seminar-i-2022-spring-a-
401108891/9781119281849?chapter=cover

Kim, B. (2021, June 28). Gary Kelly on how comms was key to Southwest Airlines' emergence
from the pandemic. Retrieved from PR Week:
https://www.prweek.com/article/1720745/gary-kelly-comms-key-southwest-airlines-
emergence-pandemic