The following document is a review of Southwest Airlines Company. Additionally, the literature will discuss how different leadership styles would affect group communication in Southwest Airlines Company. Moreover, this document will analyze the different sources of power found in Southwest Airlines Company and how those different sources of power affect group and organizational communication. Furthermore, the current culture in Southwest Airlines Company will be reviewed to identify the motivational theories that would be effective within their culture.
Likewise, the role of communication will be evaluated as an element of the theories pronounced. Last, the commitment of the workforce to the organization and Southwest Airlines Company’s relationship to the organization’s communication will be described. Different Leadership Styles Effective leadership in Southwest Airlines Company involves being conscious on how to correspond with all components of the group, involving workers, other executives, clients and stockholders. Southwest Airlines Company communication would be affected by different leadership styles in a good way depending upon the smooth transition between styles. Every unit inside the corporation may involve a diverse communication style and leadership style. Moreover, leaders should be able to acclimate based on the unit he or she are communicating amongst at the occasion (“ Effective Communication & Leadership”, 2013). Successful communication abilities are a significant characteristic of any leader’s portfolio of talents and proficiency.
Additionally, leaders must endeavor to constantly balance his or her nonverbal cues to his or her words; when he or she does so, he or she is more credible and reliable. A respectable leader adjusts his or her communication style contingent on his or her spectators. Furthermore, when talking to workers, he or she might need to have a far more decree style than when he or she is providing a presentation to the public or communicating to clients. Leaders must recognize the spectators and their personalities and concentrations, then modify their communication style constructed on what the spectators needs and what will inspire them to respond to meet the ambitions of the communication. A significant characteristic of communication is the capability to listen. Effective listening must always be an objective, with the leader concentrating on both the verbal and nonverbal semantic of the presenter (“ Effective Communication & Leadership”, 2013).
Effective listening entangles focused specifically on the presenter and disregarding outside disruptions, incorporating the hearer’s own travelling thoughts or conceivable retorts. Effective listeners also cease from intruding, give the presenter time to finish, verify they are listening by providing things like nodding or grinning, and mirror or summarize back to confirm their understanding. Leaders and corporate directors must understand employees will look to them as an exemplary of how they ought to perform under specific conditions. Employees veer to imitate how they view leaders representing and communicating. If employees view a leader exercising an active listening style and sympathetic quality with clients, they are more probable to do the identical (“ Effective Communication & Leadership”, 2013). Sources of Power The tiers of different sources of power within Southwest Airlines Company create a functional and efficient way of group and organizational communication.
Power signifies the volume that an item has to affect the behavior of a separate item to act in accordance with the powered items wishes. There are five bases of power (Robbins & Judge, Chapter Chapter 13, 2011). Coercive power is contingent on anxiety of the undesirable results from failing to conform. Reward power endeavors on individuals obeying because it creates encouraging benefits. Moreover, legitimate power represents the formal power to regulate and use organizational assets based on operational location in the company. Expert power is guidance exerted as n outcome of proficiency, distinct skill, or familiarity.
Last, referent power is constructed on relationship with a individual who has desired assets or respective traits (Robbins & Judge, Chapter Chapter 13, 2011). The power source of Southwest Airlines Company goes from the board committee, to board of directors, and to company officers. Three committees who are regulated by the New York Stock Exchange organize the board committee. Furthermore, the three committees assemble an audit committee, a compensation committee, and a nominating and corporate governance committee. Each of the committees are required to have a charter that sets forward, amongst other elements, the committee’s purposes and responsibilities. The charters are required to be reviewed annually. Each committee may determine the practical rules for meeting and leading business (“ Corporate Governance Guidelines”, 2013).
The board of directors is required to uphold the best securities of the corporation and its shareholders by administering the management of the company’s commerce. Two basic requirements are imposed on the board of directors. Therefore, the board of directors is required to exercise proper attentiveness in constructing assessments and in supervising management.
Furthermore, the board of directors is required to make loyal decisions based on the preeminent interests of the company’s shareholders and without regard to any personal interest. Within these requirements the board of directors must select and evaluate the CEO and senior management. Additionally, the board of directors must assess major risks and brainstorm for options to lesson the risks. Moreover, the board of directors will analyze, endorse, and monitor significant financial and production tactics.
Last, the board of directors is required to supervise the procedure to preserve the ultimate truthfulness and appropriate management of the business. The board of directors is able to implement its power through board committees in agreement with the company’s bylaws (“ Corporate Governance Guidelines”, 2013). The officers and agents of the corporation elected or appointed by the board of directors shall hold office until their successors have been elected and ualified or until their earlier death, retirement, resignation, or removal for or without cause. The power limits of the officers are described in detail in Southwest Airlines Company bylaws (“ Corporate Governance Guidelines”, 2013). Motivational Theories Motivation is the course that explains for an individual’s passion, path, and determination of energy toward conquering a goal. A motivational theory that is well associated with Southwest Airlines Company’s culture is the two-factor theory.
The two-factor theory conveys fundamental factors to job gratification and connects extrinsic aspects with displeasure (Robbins & Judge, Chapter Chapter 7, 2011). Within this theory are the hygiene factors. The hygiene factors consist of company procedure, management, direction, and compensation. Therefore, when these factors are sufficient, individuals will not be displeased (Robbins & Judge, Chapter Chapter 7, 2011). Public reports show that the employees of Southwest Airlines Company are satisfied with the organization they work for. Southwest Airlines Company is known in their market for high-quality customer service. The satisfied employees who are attending to customers daily reflect the award winning customer service (“ 2012 Southwest Airlines One Report”, 2013).
The employees are offered incredible benefits and work perks. Southwest Airlines Company offers employee’s opportunities to liver their best life. Aside for vacation, paid holidays, and sick leave Southwest Airlines Company offers a vast selection of 22 different types of profit sharing plans health insurance, and life insurance policies. Communication as an element of the two-factor theory is shown from the management sector.
Management is the division that oversees hiring the workforce and communicating the benefits to new and old employees (“ 2012 Southwest Airlines One Report”, 2013). Workforce Commitment The commitment of the workforce to the organization and their relationship to the organization’s communications is shown in Southwest Airlines Company’s 2012 One Report. Moreover, the report reflects a company wide survey offered to employees to provide satisfaction or dissatisfaction opinions on 15 scopes. Furthermore, 55 percent of the employees participated in the survey and 70 percent of employees provided favorable reviews on 11 of the 15 scopes (“ 2012 Southwest Airlines One Report”, 2013).
Conclusion Southwest Airlines Company operates with several different types of leadership styles. Each of the leaders at Southwest Airlines Company must obtain more then one type of leadership style to be capable of adapting with the various cultures within a massive corporation. Moreover, the power sources of Southwest Airlines Company are well developed to assure efficient decision-making. Also, the motivational theory that would fit the culture of Southwest Airlines Company is the two-factor theory because it focuses on employee satisfaction, and the employees are who represent the company in front of customers. Last, a survey in 2012 provided proof that Southwest Airlines Company employee’s are committed to the development of the organization.