Herb Kelleher: Start With Your Employees

An entrepreneurs definitely should know that he should give best serve to their customers and employees. But a Herbert D Kelleher might not just know. He was really serious about undergoing it. Now Herb known as the former CEO and co-founder of Southwest Airlines, the low-cost carrier based in the United States.

Apparently, he started his career not in business but become a lawyer. Herbt ook his law degree from Wesleyan, New York University. After graduation, he had to apply his knowledge to become legal practitioners in the East Coast and eventually moved to Texas with the intent to open a law firm there.

In 1967, he turned direction. Together with one of his clients, Herb founded Southwest Airlines. It took five years and he was often faced with the tortuous litigation from competitors to get Southwest out of court and fly in June 1971.Herb's vision when founding an carrier is removing some unneeded services and using secondary airports to offer cheap flight prices in the industry at that time.

In 1981, Herb became president and CEO of the airline. He runs the company with a dynamic style of leadership among its employees. His efforts are succeed. Southwest Airlines became the fifth largest carrier in U.S. .
In 2011, Southwest became the only one carrier who can make a profit in 39 years in a row. To the achievement of these benefits, Fortune rate, this is an accomplishment that is unmatched in the history of U.S. aviation. Herb managed toput up a cheap flight fare, but still make a profit.

The airline also prove not only become the largest domestic carrier in the U.S. butalso responsible, according to an economist, to 90 percent of low-cost airline business in the U.S.
In an interview, Herb told me that there is a puzzle that is often used in a business school. "Who comes first? Your Employees, stock holders, or your customer? But it's not a riddle. Employee came first. If you treat your employee with a good, guess what?Your customer will come back, and it will make your stock holders happy. (So) starts with the employees and the rest will follow, "said Herb

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