Herb Kelleher — the industry revolutionizing, straight talking, Wild Turkey swilling founder of Southwest Airlines — is famous for creating his business plan on the back of a cocktail napkin and transforming the airline from three jets into the country’s largest low-fare carrier, with over 40 straight years of profitability to boot.
Along the way, he has learned a thing or two about leadership and life. Here are 8 of our favorite Kelleher quotes:
- “Power should be reserved for weightlifting and boats, and leadership really involves responsibility.”
- “A company is stronger if it is bound by love rather than by fear.”
- “We will hire someone with less experience, less education, and less expertise, than someone who has more of those things and has a rotten attitude. Because we can train people. We can teach people how to lead. We can teach people how to provide customer service. But we can’t change their DNA.”
- “You must be very patient, very persistent. The world isn’t going to shower gold coins on you just because you have a good idea. You’re going to have to work like crazy to bring that idea to the attention of people.”
- “I forgive all personal weaknesses except egomania and pretension.”
- “One piece of advice that always stuck in my mind is that people should be respected and trusted as people, not because of their position or title.”
- “It is my practice to try to understand how valuable something is by trying to imagine myself without it.”
- “I’ve found that many of the greatest ideas surface in bars because that’s where many people cultivate inspiration.”
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