35 Herb Kelleher Quotes (SOUTHWEST AIRLINES)

Top 10 Most Famous Herb Kelleher Quotes (BEST)

“Your employees come first. And if you treat your employees right, guess what? Your customers come back, and that makes your shareholders happy. Start with employees and the rest follows from that.”
Herb Kelleher

A company is stronger if it is bound by love rather than by fear. — A company is stronger if it is bound by love rather than by **fear**.

Think small and act small, and we'll get bigger. Think big and act big, and we'll get smaller. — Think small and act small, and we’ll get bigger. **Think big** and act big, and we’ll get smaller.

You can't have a mid-life crisis in the airline industry because every day is a crisis. — You can’t have a mid-life crisis in the airline industry because every day is a crisis.

I've always said manage in good times so that you're ready for the bad times. — I’ve always said manage in good **times** so that you’re ready for the bad times.

The essential difference in service is not machines or 'things.' The essential difference is minds, hearts, spirits, and souls. — The essential difference in service is not machines or ‘things.’ The essential difference is minds, hearts, spirits, and souls.

One piece of advice that always stuck in my mind is that people should be respected and trusted as people, not because of their position or title. — One piece of advice that always stuck in my mind is that people should be **respected** and **trusted** as people, not because of their position or title.

Power should be reserved for weightlifting and boats, and leadership really involves responsibility. — Power should be reserved for **weightlifting** and boats, and **leadership** really involves **responsibility**.

I forgive all personal weaknesses except egomania and pretension. — I **forgive** all personal weaknesses except egomania and pretension.

If you're crazy enough to do what you love for a living, then you're bound to create a life that matters. — If you’re crazy enough to do what you love for a living, then you’re bound to create a **life** that matters.

6 Inspirational Herb Kelleher Quotes on Success

“You must be very patient, very persistent. The world isn’t going to shower gold coins on you just because you have a good idea. You’re going to have to work like crazy to bring that idea to the attention of people.”
Herb Kelleher

We have a strategic plan. It's called 'doing things'. — We have a strategic plan. It’s called ‘doing things’.

It is my practice to try to understand how valuable something is by trying to imagine myself without it.

“My suggestion is that if you need someone outside your company to prepare a mission statement for you, then you really don’t know what your mission is, and you probably don’t have one.”
Herb Kelleher

The business of business is people. — The **business** of business is people.

Anybody who seeks wealth as an end in itself is always going to be disappointed. What you really should be doing is seeking excellence in achievement.

11 Herb Kelleher Quotes on Hiring and Managing Employees (LEADERSHIP)

“We will hire someone with less experience, less education, and less expertise, than someone who has more of those things and has a rotten attitude. Because we can train people. We can teach people how to lead. We can teach people how to provide customer service. But we can’t change their DNA.”
Herb Kelleher

You don't hire for skills, you hire for attitude. You can always teach skills. — You don’t hire for skills, you hire for **attitude**. You can always teach skills.

Leading an organization is as much about soul as it is about systems. Effective leadership finds its source in understanding. — Leading an organization is as much about soul as it is about systems. Effective **leadership** finds its source in understanding.

You have to treat your employees like customers.

If you create an environment where the people truly participate, you don't need control. They know what needs to be done and they do it. — If you create an environment where the people truly participate, you don’t need control. They know what needs to be done and they do it.

The important thing is to take the bricklayer and make him understand that he’s building a home, not just laying bricks.

“A motivated employee treats the customer well. The customer is happy, so they keep coming back. It’s not one of the enduring green mysteries of all time; it is just the way it works.”
Herb Kelleher

I tell my employees that we're in the service business, and it's incidental that we fly airplanes. — I tell my employees that we’re in the service **business**, and it’s incidental that we fly airplanes.

If you don't treat your own people well, they won't treat other people well. — If you don’t treat your own people well, they won’t treat other people well.

Keep costs low and spirits high, and the people of Southwest Airlines will keep LUV in the air.

Nothing kills your company's culture like layoffs. — Nothing kills your company’s culture like layoffs.

5 Herb Kelleher Quotes on Southwest Airlines

“I think my greatest moment in business was when the first Southwest airplane arrived after four years of litigation and I walked up to it and I kissed that baby on the lips and I cried.”
Herb Kelleher