Resources
The Colleen C. Barrett Institute strives to provide resources that will aid individuals and organizations in their own efforts to produce excellent cultures and provide top-notch customer service. To that end, we are continually adding resources to our generous collection of Leadership, Culture, and Customer Service content.
Thought Leadership
Learning Well: The Value of Prioritizing Personal Growth
When I began my career, I had one requirement: every day needed to look a little different. I craved exposure to new experiences and new projects (which is a polite way of saying I had no idea what I wanted to do and needed a job that would allow me to figure it out). What I realized, however, is my desire was not for constant change but constant learning. Southwest has been that perfect place for me.
Learning Well: Growing Through Difficult Moments
My 38 years at Southwest have been a journey filled with immense gratitude. I’ve witnessed firsthand the power of strong leadership and the profound impact it has on an organization and its people, especially when facing adversity. Through the years, I’ve experienced my share of challenges, and one lesson I learned early on from Colleen Barrett (namesake of the CCB Institute) was that the defining factor in navigating storms is the quality of leadership at the helm.
Learning Well: Effectively Growing Diverse Teams
In today’s workplace, effectively growing and managing diverse Teams is paramount to success. Southwest Airlines President Emeritus, the late Colleen Barrett, mastered this principle, and I am blessed to be able to apply her lessons firsthand from seeing years of her “walking the talk.”
Leading Well: Navigating One on One Conversations
At Southwest Airlines, we pride ourselves in putting our People first—whether that’s your Fellow Employee (Coheart) sitting next to you in a meeting or the Customer you’re helping board one of our planes. In my more than 16 years working at Southwest, I’ve had many opportunities to see that People-first mentality modeled by Leaders (first established by our beloved President Emeritus, the late Colleen Barrett).
Special Edition: Colleen on Sustaining Strong Performance
Have you ever wondered why Southwest Airlines receives such an incredible amount of media coverage? Obviously, we have a wonderful Public Relations Department making sure our accomplishments and activities don’t go unnoticed, but the mere fact that we are a “successful airline” – two words most people think don’t go together – makes us newsworthy. It also leaves us- and everything we do open to scrutiny.
Leading Well: Connecting with People
From the times I engaged with Herb Kelleher (Founder of Southwest Airlines) and Colleen Barrett (CCB Institute namesake!) early in my career, I learned from them the true value of giving your People your time and attention and seeing them for who they are instead of just the positions they fill. To me, that means you have to remember your Teams are made up of unique individuals and never forget the “Golden Rule” when you have the opportunity to connect with someone.
Articles
Media
Videos
Virtual Roundtables
Access past and present Virtual Learning Events featuring exclusive Southwest Leader-led discussions covering topics like Inspiring Positive Culture, Leading with Empathy and Emotional Intelligence, Effective Recognition, and much more.
CCBI Virtual Roundtable | Women Leading the Way
Southwest
Please fill in the fields below.
CCBI Virtual Roundtable | Leading the Southwest Way
Southwest
Please fill in the fields below.
CCBI Virtual Roundtable | Lessons in Customer Service
Southwest
Please fill in the fields below.
CCBI Virtual Roundtable | A People-first Culture
Southwest
Please fill in the fields below.
Please fill in the fields below.
Podcasts
Undercover Recruiter
Brand Extract
J.D. Power Travel & Hospitality Podcast
Library
Books on Southwest
To celebrate more than 50 years of putting People first, Southwest Airlines proudly released “Leading with Heart: Living & Working the Southwest Way.” This book represents Southwest Airlines’ guide to Leadership, business, and life, based on insights from Founder Herb Kelleher, President Emeritus Colleen Barrett, Executive Chairman and former CEO Gary Kelly, current CEO Bob Jordan, former President and COO Mike Van de Ven, and other impactful Southwest Leaders past and present.
The book highlights Living & Working the Southwest Way as a set of fun and engaging Leadership tenets that can be applied by readers everywhere, and features a special foreword by Gary Kelly. “Leading with Heart” gives readers a “behind-the-curtain” view into the beginnings of Southwest’s unique Culture and how it’s maintained by the Company’s greatest asset—its People.
Grab your copy of “Leading with Heart: Living & Working the Southwest Way” at swathestore.com.
A History of Southwest in 50 Objects
- Beat the overwhelming odds to get “ready for takeoff”
- Launched and maintained a truly Legendary Culture
- Turned the corner from surviving to thriving
- Kept on “winning” with Customers
- Disrupted the industry
- And, has consistently put its Heart into action
By Ken Blanchard and Colleen Barrett (2010)
- What “love” really means in the organizational context.
- Why leading with love is not “soft” management!
- How to use redirection and tough love to handle inappropriate behavior or performance.
- Why “servant leadership” is love in action, and how to make it work.
- How to build the compelling vision and culture that sustains leadership with love
By Kevin Freiberg and Jackie Freiberg (1998)
Southwest Leaders’ Recommended Resources
Think Again
By Adam Grant
Recommended by
Helen Jury
Senior Manager Employee Experience
The Advantage
Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business
By Patrick Lencioni
Recommended by
Mike Sims
Managing Director Inflight Crew Support & Services
Multipliers
By Liz Wiseman
Recommended by
Adam Carlisle
Vice President Ground Operations
Trust and Inspire
How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others
By Stephen M.R. Covey
Recommended by
Chris Johnson
Vice President Ground Operations