Training and Techniques: Southwest Airlines' Methods for Developing Leaders
As a result of our research of Southwest Airlines methods for developing leaders in their respective industry we were able to prepare a profile of several different types of training and techniques. All of Southwest Airlines training is conducted in accordance with the appropriate and respective federal agencies that outline and govern each aspect of the training (southwest one report/training 2011).
Southwest Airlines maintains its own training facility in Dallas, Texas, better known as the University for People (U4P). As of 2011, the Dallas facility had been in operation for 25 years. The goal of U4P has remained the same since its inception, “to provide all Southwest Airline Employees the opportunity for personal growth and the ability to reach their full potential” (southwest one report/training, 2011). Southwest’s dedication to training their personnel is evident from their reported number of hours in 2011 alone reached 1,137,073 of which U4P facilitated over 124,000 of those hours. The type of training varied according to the career’s available with Southwest; 165,00 pilot training hours, 295,195 flight attendant training hours, 88,754 maintenance and support training hours, 245,179 customer support and services training hours, and 342,946 ground operations training hours (southwest one report/training, 2011).
There are several aspects of the training that Southwest and U4P offers from identification, to selection, to training their leaders to live and lead the Southwest Way. As potential leaders are identified they will attend 2 days of training, Leadership 101, to decide if leadership is for them. Once they decide it is, they attend an additional 2 days of training, Leadership 201. After these first two periods of training are complete, the individual must attend an additional 2 days of training to decide which leadership path best suits them, Manager or Supervisor. Regardless of the path the individual chooses, they will attend an additional
Southwest Airlines maintains its own training facility in Dallas, Texas, better known as the University for People (U4P). As of 2011, the Dallas facility had been in operation for 25 years. The goal of U4P has remained the same since its inception, “to provide all Southwest Airline Employees the opportunity for personal growth and the ability to reach their full potential” (southwest one report/training, 2011). Southwest’s dedication to training their personnel is evident from their reported number of hours in 2011 alone reached 1,137,073 of which U4P facilitated over 124,000 of those hours. The type of training varied according to the career’s available with Southwest; 165,00 pilot training hours, 295,195 flight attendant training hours, 88,754 maintenance and support training hours, 245,179 customer support and services training hours, and 342,946 ground operations training hours (southwest one report/training, 2011).
There are several aspects of the training that Southwest and U4P offers from identification, to selection, to training their leaders to live and lead the Southwest Way. As potential leaders are identified they will attend 2 days of training, Leadership 101, to decide if leadership is for them. Once they decide it is, they attend an additional 2 days of training, Leadership 201. After these first two periods of training are complete, the individual must attend an additional 2 days of training to decide which leadership path best suits them, Manager or Supervisor. Regardless of the path the individual chooses, they will attend an additional
References: O’Hanlon, C., May 29, 2013, Southwest Airlines’ Approach to Developing Leaders. Retrieved from http://www.corporatelearningnetwork.com/ Enspire Learning., May 17, 2012, Southwest Airlines, Developing Legendary Leaders, Southwest Style. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/enspirelearning/developing-legendary-leaders-southwest-style Southwest One Report / Training., 2011., Southwest Airlines offers Employees the Opportunity to learn and grow. Retrieved from http://www.southwestonereport.com/2011/#!/people/employees/training