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Leadership Southwest Style: Building our Bench Since 1971

ebryant1
Explorer C


Today was a great day !   Bonnie Endicott, who manages our MIT (Managers-in-Training) program, and I were debriefing the first week of 2009 MIT that wrapped up last week.  We hosted 56 Leaders at Headquarters for a high-impact  and intense, Leadership Development experience.  The week was fantastic and the Leaders in both the Level I and II programs are top-notch!


        
Our goal is to get this group of high-potential Leaders ready--ready for the challenges that lie ahead.  The skills needed for a Leader to be successful today look so  much  different than they did even 10 years ago.   And it is our job--our privilege--to help our Leaders develop the skills that will help them make a difference every day and ensure our Company continues to be profitable.  What a tremendous responsibility and honor!  We often joke that we have the best jobs in the Company ( OK, it's really not a joke). 

        
So, I was really not surprised to learn that we placed #7 of the top 20 in Chief Executive magazine's list of "Best Companies for Leaders" 2008.    I spend time speaking to other companies who want to know the "secret" of our success.  It's really quite simple:  we believe in our Employees, we provide every opportunity possible to promote learning and development, and we genuinely want our Employees to succeed.  Employees are the strength, heart, and spirit of our success .  As Leaders, we are responsible for supporting and nurturing them as they develop, grow, and succeed!    

        
Congratulations to our Senior Leadership Team on this great honor, and thank you!  You exemplify the Southwest Way and we are proud to follow the example you set.