Developing Legendary Leaders, Southwest Style

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Southwest Airlines: Developing Legendary Leaders, Southwest Style Bonnie Endicott, Southwest Airlines Bjorn Billhardt, Enspire Learning

description

Southwest Airlines has a highly engaged workforce known for its sense of humor and teamwork. Its culture is fueled by significant investments in leadership development. This session explores how Southwest’s Developing Legendary Leaders program, an intensive boot camp for managers and directors, builds leadership, strategic thinking and business acumen skills. The session takes a close look at a competitive team-based simulation that allows Southwest’s rising leaders to hone their business acumen skills. Get an inside view into Southwest’s successful leadership development program, and see the results of Southwest’s focus on developing leaders from within the organization.

Transcript of Developing Legendary Leaders, Southwest Style

Page 1: Developing Legendary Leaders, Southwest Style

Southwest Airlines: Developing Legendary Leaders,

Southwest Style

Bonnie Endicott, Southwest Airlines

Bjorn Billhardt, Enspire Learning

Page 2: Developing Legendary Leaders, Southwest Style

Southwest Airlines University for People

• Serve all 40,000 Southwest and AirTran employees with professional and leadership development

• Facilitated over 124,000 learning hours in 2011

• Staff of 17 facilitators, instructional designers, program specialists, and coordinators

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Enspire Learning

• Leadership development experiences and simulations since 2001

• 50 learning and leadership development professionals

• Offices in Austin, TX and Berlin, Germany

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Enspire Simulation Programs

Focus: Leadership, strategic thinking, cross-departmental collaboration

Focus: Business acumen, understanding drivers of financial success

Focus: Managing people, handling difficult conversations

Delivery: Blended, team-based, multiplayer

Delivery: Blended, classroom or virtual delivery, multiplayer, team-based

Delivery: Blended, classroom or virtual delivery, multiplayer, team-based

Outcomes: Personal insight, “big picture” mindset, effective cross-functional collaboration, behavior change

Outcomes: Better managerial decision-making, better communication using financial data and metrics

Outcomes: Confidence in handling difficult managerial situations, improved ability to manage employee productivity and engagement

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Leadership Development at Southwest

High Potential Supervisors

• Managers-in-Training (MIT) Level I (3 weeks)

High Potential Managers

• Managers-in-Training (MIT) Level II (6 weeks)

Is Leadership for me?

• Leadership 101(2 days)

Yes! I want to be a Leader!

• Leadership 201(2 days)

Promotion to Leadership

• FUNdamen-tals of Southwest Leadership (2 days)

Promotion to Supervisor

• Leadership Southwest Style(3 weeks)

Promotion to Manager

• Next Level Leadership(2.5 days)

Director+

• Leadership Summit(1 day annually)

Emerging Leaders

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Managers-in-Training II Program Objectives• Develop a personal leadership style that impacts the hearts

and minds of your People• Be a change Leader, building strong Teams and

communicating at all levels • Think strategically, seeing beyond today to plan for tomorrow• Serve others—be a model of a Servant’s Heart• Model Living the Southwest Way daily

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Managers-in-Training II Program Objectives• Navigate the Southwest organization with influence• Research, assess, and present a recommendation to Senior

Management Committee that supports Southwest’s strategic direction

• Be purposeful and planful in your growth as a Southwest Leader

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Blend of development techniques

• Executive sponsorship• Guest Professors• Strategic project• “Shadowing” a Senior

Executive• Business simulation• Online modules• Book debriefs

• 360° feedback• Camping & challenge

courses• Development opportunities

for Alumni

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A Typical Agenda

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Freedom Hall / Training Room E / U4P 106

*Wear your MIT shirtU4P 106 U4P 106 U4P 106 U4P 106

7:30am Shuttle 8:00am Shuttle 7:30am Shuttle 7:30am Shuttle 8:00am Shuttle

8:00 – 8:30amPresentation Set-up

8:30am – 1:00pmSMC Presentations & Feedback

Freedom Hall / Training Room F for Lunch

1:30 – 2:30pmDebrief PresentationsU4P 106

8:30 – 9:00amDebrief & Daily Agenda

9:00am – 11:30noonInfluencer

11:30 – 1:00pmLunch w/ Herb and Colleen

1:00 – 5:30pmInfluencer, continued

8:00 – 8:15amDebrief & Daily Agenda

8:15am – 12:00pmInfluencer

12:00 – 1:30pmLunch with Sponsor

1:30 – 5:30pmInfluencer, continued

8:00 – 8:15amDebrief & Daily Agenda

8:15am – 12:00pmBusiness Simulation

12:00 – 1:00pmLunch

1:00 – 5:30pmBusiness Simulation, continued

8:30 – 11:30amIndividual Development Planning

Take-aways &Next Steps

CELEBRATE!! 4:30 pm Shuttle

5:30 pm Shuttle 5:00pm Shuttle

5:30 - 7:30pmFlt Ops – SIMS& Dinner

8:00 pm Shuttle

5:00pm Shuttle

5:30 - 7:30pmDinner (?)

8:00 pm Shuttle

12:00pm Depart to Airport

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Simulation Capstone Experience

Team-Based Simulation• Teams formulate strategies and

execute multiple rounds• Structured, customized

debriefs drive learning• Duration: 6-12 hours

Online Pre-work• Rich, video-based media• Tools and exercises• Self-paced instruction• Duration: 4-8 hours

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The Experience

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The Experience

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Debriefing Topics

• Strategy and finance• Shareholder value • Unit economics

– Breakeven analysis– Payback period– NPV and IRR

• Financial metrics and statements• Investment analysis and ROI• Profitability and cash flow• Systems thinking

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Bonnie Endicott

Southwest Airlines

[email protected]

Questions?

Bjorn Billhardt

Enspire Learning

[email protected]