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Southwest had a really memorable slogan: “wheels up” and the business really rallied around that priority ruthlessly for many years. It was pretty cool and gets

Southwest had a really memorable slogan: “wheels up” and the business really rallied around that priority ruthlessly for many years. It was pretty cool and gets used in business analysis as an example a lot about how to achieve big goals.

sokoloff 7y ago
One such (very lightweight) analysis: https://www.cnbc.com/id/43768488 https://www.cnbc.com/id/43768488 It really is a great systems thinking story. Set the overall context and goal and then figure out how to optimize for the thing that drives results.
- ethbro 7y ago
  The How I Built This podcast on Southwest [0] with Kelleher (since deceased) is an amazing episode. Both for trivia and giving context to what it takes to be successful behind the scenes. Kelleher (a lawyer by training) ran a private practice while litigating a 3-year lawsuit against airline incumbents at the time... before Southwest flew its first flight in Texas. And when asked "Why?" As in, why didn't you stop, return to law, or do something easier, he basically said "Because it didn't seem fair. Or right. That they could keep us from flying." I'm sure he had his fair share of sharp business decisions, but he came across as a truly great human being. [0] https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/national-public-radio/how-i-built-this/e/48306996 https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/national-public-radio/how-i...