What happened to Southwest Airlines?

(I didn’t write this. I found it. I’m sharing it.)

I’ve been a pilot for Southwest Airlines for over 35 years. I’ve given my heart and soul to Southwest Airlines during those years. And quite honestly Southwest Airlines has given its heart and soul to me and my family.

Many of you have asked what caused this epic meltdown. Unfortunately, the frontline employees have been watching this meltdown coming like a slow motion train wreck for sometime. And we’ve been begging our leadership to make much needed changes in order to avoid it. What happened yesterday started two decades ago.

Herb Kelleher was the brilliant CEO of SWA until 2004. He was a very operationally oriented leader. Herb spent lots of time on the front line. He always had his pulse on the day to day operation and the people who ran it. That philosophy flowed down through the ranks of leadership to the front line managers. We were a tight operation from top to bottom. We had tools, leadership and employee buy in. Everything that was needed to run a first class operation. When Herb retired in 2004 Gary Kelly became the new CEO.

Gary was an accountant by education and his style leading Southwest Airlines became more focused on finances and less on operations. He did not spend much time on the front lines. He didn’t engage front line employees much. When the CEO doesn’t get out in the trenches the neither do the lower levels of leadership.

Gary named another accountant to be Chief Operating Officer (the person responsible for day to day operations). The new COO had little or no operational background. This trickled down through the lower levels of leadership, as well.

They all disengaged the operation, disengaged the employees and focused more on Return on Investment, stock buybacks and Wall Street. This approach worked for Gary’s first 8 years because we were still riding the strong wave that Herb had built.
But as time went on the operation began to deteriorate. There was little investment in upgrading technology (after all, how do you measure the return on investing in infrastructure?) or the tools we needed to operate efficiently and consistently. As the frontline employees began to see the deterioration in our operation we began to warn our leadership. We educated them, we informed them and we made suggestions to them.

But to no avail. The focus was on finances not operations. As we saw more and more deterioration in our operation our asks turned to pleas. Our pleas turned to dire warnings. But they went unheeded. After all, the stock price was up so what could be wrong?

We were a motivated, willing and proud employee group wanting to serve our customers and uphold the tradition of our beloved airline, the airline we built and the airline that the traveling public grew to cheer for and luv. But we were watching in frustration and disbelief as our once amazing airline was becoming a house of cards.

A half dozen small scale meltdowns occurred during the mid to late 2010’s. With each mini meltdown Leadership continued to ignore the pleas and warnings of the employees in the trenches. We were still operating with 1990’s technology. We didn’t have the tools we needed on the line to operate the sophisticated and large airline we had become. We could see that the wheels were about ready to fall off the bus. But no one in leadership would heed our pleas.

When COVID happened SWA scaled back considerably (as did all of the airlines) for about two years. This helped conceal the serious problems in technology, infrastructure and staffing that were occurring and being ignored. But as we ramped back up the lack of attention to the operation was waiting to show its ugly head.

Gary Kelly retired as CEO in early 2022. Bob Jordan was named CEO. He was a more operationally oriented leader. He replaced our Chief Operating Officer with a very smart man and they announced their priority would be to upgrade our airline’s technology and provide the frontline employees the operational tools we needed to care for our customers and employees. Finally, someone acknowledged the elephant in the room.

But two decades of neglect takes several years to overcome. And, unfortunately to our horror, our house of cards came tumbling down this week as a routine winter storm broke our 1990’s operating system.

The frontline employees were ready and on station. We were properly staffed. We were at the airports. Hell, we were ON the airplanes. But our antiquated software systems failed coupled with a decades old system of having to manage 20,000 frontline employees by phone calls. No automation had been developed to run this sophisticated machine.

We had a routine winter storm across the Midwest last Thursday. A larger than normal number flights were cancelled as a result. But what should have been one minor inconvenient day of travel turned into this nightmare. After all, American, United, Delta and the other airlines operated with only minor flight disruptions.

The two decades of neglect by SWA leadership caused the airline to lose track of all its crews. ALL of us. We were there. With our customers. At the jet. Ready to go. But there was no way to assign us. To confirm us. To release us to fly the flight. And we watched as our customers got stranded without their luggage missing their Christmas holiday.
I believe that our new CEO Bob Jordan inherited a MESS.

This meltdown was not his failure but the failure of those before him. I believe he has the right priorities. But it will take time to right this ship. A few years at a minimum. Old leaders need to be replaced. Operationally oriented managers need to be brought in. I hope and pray Bob can execute on his promises to fix our once proud airline. Time will tell.

It’s been a punch in the gut for us frontline employees. We care for the traveling public. We have spent our entire careers serving you. Safely. Efficiently. With luv and pride. We are horrified. We are sorry. We are sorry for the chaos, inconvenience and frustration our airline caused you. We are angry. We are embarrassed. We are sad. Like you, the traveling public, we have been let down by our own leaders.

Herb once said the the biggest threat to Southwest Airlines will come from within. Not from other airlines. What a visionary he was. I miss Herb now more than ever.

This should be a really great week.

It will only be a really great week if you make it a great week. It’s not going to be a great week if you stay in your seat acting like a computer geek.

You can make it a great week by getting up and moving around. You should be like a bumblebee on a pollination mission.

You’re here. You’re there. You’re everywhere.

You can’t just flap your little wings in place and think someone’s gonna sell a car. You have to move around.

You have to create the buzz.

You have to go from being weak and meek in order to make it a great week.
I don’t like things to be all about you, but this is all about you. This week is all about you. It’s about you making things happen.

It’s about you contributing as much in a week as you sometimes do in a month. It’s not about you giving 100 or 110%. It’s about you giving 200%.

It’s not about asking others to do it. It’s about you doing it. You sometimes think you’re important. Well, you are important. You’re even more important than you think. At least this week you are.

You may have to sting a few people this week. That’s ok. Some of your team could probably use a sting or two. A little stinging pain for a whole lot of car selling gain.

This is not the week for the meek and certainly not a week for a geek. It’s the week of the bumblebees. Let the stinging begin.

That’s all I’m gonna say, Tommy Gibbs

I’m thinking you already know a lot about “Prime Time,” Deion Sanders.

A quick highlight of his career:

He’s one of the few people that have played two professional sports.

He played 14 years in the NFL, 9 years in MLB and was voted into the Football Hall of Fame in 2011.

“Prime Time,” is the only man to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series. He’s the only man to hit an MLB home run and score an NFL touchdown in the same week, and to have both a reception and an interception in the Super Bowl. 

Most recently he’s been the head coach at Jackson State University. Sanders led Jackson State to a 27−5 record during his three seasons at the helm. Within the last month he was named head football coach at University of Colorado Boulder.

I’ve attached a couple of videos of “Prime Time” meeting the members of the current Colorado team and saying his goodbyes to his players at Jackson State.

There are several takeaways in these video that I believe are critical to a leader’s success.

In the Jackson state video, it’s obvious how much his players love and respect him and the same from him to them. He’s able to have humorous moments and be able to get right back on task and talk about serious things.

When I owned dealerships, I often said to our new team members, “If you don’t have a sense of humor, you’re going to be very unhappy working here.”

A sense of humor combined with discipline is a powerful tool for a leader.

In the Colorado video he lays down the law. He’s dead serious and they know he ain’t kidding.

I love it when he says, “Some of you won’t make it here. Some of you will be gone.” Many leaders of today bend their rules so much that they end up with no rules and a list of meaningless processes.

No hats. No earrings. No Hoodies. His intent is to break them down just like they do in the Marine Corps.

The message is clear:

It ain’t about you.

It’s about the team.

We don’t need individuals.

We need strong teammates who are on the same page.

Say what you mean. Mean what you say.

At the very core of people respecting you is to do what you say you’re going to do when you say you’re going to do it. It cannot be any simpler than that.

“Prime Time” is smart.

“Prime Time” is a leader.

Be smart and lead like “Prime Time.” That’s all I’m gonna say. Tommy Gibbs

Did you notice that you are getting really comfortable with having aged units around?

You’ve justified in your mind that it’s ok because you convinced yourself during the pandemic that you could sell anything at any time and make money on it. Since you think that’s a brilliant plan, please let me know how the ROI turns out for you when you let crap age on you.

Did you notice that the selling processes you think your team is using, aren’t the selling processes you’re using?

Some members of your management team are doing their “own thing.” If you don’t believe it, sit down individually with your sales people and ask them how each manager starts and works a deal.

Did you notice that you are no longer doing a “save-a-deal meeting” and “trade walk” each day?

You’ve accepted it as fact that everybody is so busy that they don’t have time to do it. You’ll be surprised at how many more deals you will make by doing a “save-a-deal meeting.” And, how many more used cars you will end up keeping and retailing when the management team does a “trade walk.”

Did you notice that the management team doesn’t understand Life Cycle Management?

Life Cycle Management starts on day one, not day 61. If you are having aged units and/or losing money on units wholesaled at the end of the life cycle it’s because they are not using “Early Warning Radar.” If you don’t think Life Cycle Management is important, go ahead and tell me the story on your oldest unit in stock. Yep, they all have a story. You ignored the story on day one so now you get to the rehash the story on day 61. Had you been focused on Life Cycle Management, that unit would have been gone long ago with little or no loss and maybe even a profit.

Did you notice that the sales and management team doesn’t do lot walks anymore?

Did you ever wonder why your sales people don’t sell more used? It’s because they don’t know the inventory. Know the difference between a lot walk and a trade walk. Now do them both.

Did you notice that you get lots of lip service on those processes you know need to be followed in all the departments?

Guarding the processes is one of the most important functions of leadership.

Did you notice that the average cost per used car in stock keeps creeping up and up?

The reason it’s happening is because you are not paying attention to it every day. Pressing the average cost down is a fundamental discipline. If every manager doesn’t know the number, you’re not doing your job. The pain of discipline or the pain of regret.

Did you notice that you’re back to selling vehicles for less than what you have them posted online?

That’s because the sales team isn’t sold that you have the best product at the best price. Before you can make the customer a believer you have to get the sales staff to believe. Tracking GAP will create a focus that forces you to hold more gross profit.

Did you notice that a lot of your problematic used cars in stock are either high dollar or purchased at an auction?

If you would print out a list every day of your 10 most expensive units in stock, and distribute to your management team, you would eliminate most of these problem children.

Did you notice that sometimes you just don’t notice? Your job as a leader is to notice what’s going on. My job is to keep reminding you. That’s all I’m gonna say, Tommy Gibbs

Why You’re Winning

I’ve written several articles of late talking about how dealers have benefited from the law of supply and demand. Let’s think about this as two legs of a three-legged stool. The third and most important leg that I’ve not discussed is “smarts.” Archie Manning of the famed quarterback family holds a quarterback training camp each summer. Archie says, “The best advice I try to give to a young quarterback is you need to know what you are doing because if you know where to go with the football, you can get rid of it, and throw it, and you won’t get hit.” And that’s where your smarts have played a bigger role than maybe even you have given yourself credit for. Knowing where to go with the football has played a far bigger role in your bottom line than many have acknowledged. Today’s dealers are smarter, and because they are smarter, when the law of supply and demand balanced itself, the smart dealers have made the most money in the history of their businesses. When you combine the amount of data available to dealers today and the intellect to understand it, then you have figured out where to go with the football. In the long term, knowing where to go with the football makes you a lot more money than a favorable law of supply and demand ever could. Supply and demand will not always be in your favor. Being smart will. You’re not just winning because you got lucky. You’re winning because you’re smart. Stay smart. That’s all I’m gonna say, Tommy Gibbs

It’s Thanksgiving and time to give thanks.

If you’re like me for sure you have a lot to be thankful for. Among many things I’m thankful for are your friendship and support.

Thanksgiving also starts the closeout of the year. It centers around Black Friday and rolls through the last week of the year. Like it or not, 2023 is already here.

I’ve listed some very basic ideas you need to take into consideration that will help you finish strong and get ready for your best year ever.

A. Re-commit yourself- and your thinking towards being the very best you can be. Take stock of all those great ideas running around in your head.

Write them down and make a commitment to get them done by certain dates. Post it on the wall in several places that you will see frequently. If you have a private restroom, put it on the mirror.

The dealers and GMs with the most successful used car operations are those who have taken ownership of the used car department.

The more involved you get, the more success your dealership will have. If you’re not committed to the used car business, it’s a safe bet your team isn’t either.

B. Re-evaluate the appearance of your inventory. One of those disciplines might be to do a weekly lot walk. Every car in your inventory must be touched. If it’s in service, touch it. If it’s in prep, touch it. If it’s in the budget center, touch it.

Everybody touches it. Even if you think you have your disciplines well defined inside your head, you’d be well served to make a written list and check them off from time to time.

D. Re-Recon-Take every unit over 30 days old back through a recon process. (You’ve already missed your best window of opportunity to make gross; that would be the first 20 days.)

E. Re-Invest in yourself and your management team. Do something to gain some knowledge. Hire me, visit CarMax, or visit a dealer friend in another state that does a good job in used. Attend a workshop. Join a Twenty Group. Join a Used Car Twenty Group. Do something besides sitting there and waiting for something to happen.

F. Re-think- your management team. Do you have the right person running your used car operation?

Yes, that person may have been with you for years. Loyalty sometimes equals mediocrity. Maybe they have some great skills, but the fact is that you may not be making the best use of their talents.

I’m thankful for lots of things this holiday season and I’m especially thankful that you’ve taken the time to read my little Zingers.

That’s all I’m gonna say, Tommy Gibbs.

1. I trust your good judgment.

2. How can I help?

3. What do you think?

4. I’m proud of you.

5. We can fix this.

6. You’re important to our team.

7. It’s not a problem. It’s an opportunity.

8. I need your help.

9. How can we get faster and better?

10. Tell me more.

11. What do you want to be when you grow up?

12. Whatcha got?

13. What’s working?

14. What’s not working?

15. What’s the number one complaint you’re hearing?

16. You have my full support.

17. What else?

18. You’re the best.

19. Love ‘ya.

20. Tell me about your family

21. Let’s go to work.

That’s all I’m gonna say, Tommy Gibbs.

Absolutes vs. Exceptions

Absolutes are a powerful tool toward creating a disciplined organization.

The downside of absolutes is it chokes off the potential to have an acceptable exception.

Exceptions break the rule of discipline. Exceptions soon become the norm.

When exceptions become the norm chaos breaks out.

The type of chaos I’m referencing isn’t actually like a bomb going off. This chaos is slow and gradual, often not recognized, and then – whamo – there it is, its ugly face screaming at you, “What the heck happened?”

Now here’s the real deal for those of you looking to become better leaders. You can have absolutes and exceptions in the same house. They can actually hang out with each other once in a blue moon.

True leaders can use them both and chaos will never show its ugly face. Granting an exception and going back to absolutes is very doable. The problem with leadership is that very few leaders have the skill to make effective use of them both.

Most people in leadership positions are stuck with one or the other.

At any given moment one is just as bad as the other.

That’s all I’m gonna say, Tommy Gibbs

Being a former Marine, part of my core values as an individual comes from my Marine Corps training. And no doubt a large part of my success in life comes from being well disciplined.

Many of my disciplines have come from being an athlete where you cannot achieve any level of success without discipline. Without question people with a military and/or a sports background make better employees/team members because they are well disciplined.

Discipline shows up in many forms in the workplace including being on time, achieving assignments, how you dress, how you talk, what you say, how you say it and who you say it to.

I cannot fathom someone achieving a key leadership position unless they are highly disciplined. If you do not have a sports background, military background or if you didn’t grow up in an environment where there was a focus on discipline then you are at a total disadvantage as you attempt to climb the ladder of success. It is virtually impossible to achieve success in sports or the military without discipline, and business and life are the same.

It’s pretty much a sure bet that if you are un-disciplined in your work life that your personal life is no different and chaos has become your best friend.
Discipline is about controlling willpower/self-control over one’s desires to do the wrong or easy thing. It’s about doing the right thing when the wrong thing keeps screaming “why bother.”

Focus on improving your discipline regardless of where you have come from and where you might be today. Observe others around you who you deem to be well disciplined and start to emulate them. Pretty soon others will start to emulate you and now the tribe becomes very powerful.

DOES DISCIPLINE MATTER?
Only the well-disciplined ever get to be the chief of the tribe. “The pain of discipline or the pain of regret.” You get to pick. That’s all I’m gonna say.

That’s all I’m gonna say, Tommy Gibbs.

I’ve written at least 990 used car newsletters since 2003. That’s not an exact count because for several years I wrote a second newsletter each week focused on leadership, so the count is well north of 1000.

To put it in perspective, that’s 52 newsletters each year for 19 years sharing information that either gives you a different way of thinking about the business or reminding you of stuff you already know.

Those newsletters come out each Wednesday, and on Fridays I write another that promotes my training, consulting, and recon software tool. Both newsletters go out to the same group of over 10,0000 potential readers.

What’s funny is I get very few unsubscribes when the Wednesday informational newsletter goes out. On the other hand, the newsletter promoting my business always gets a handful of unsubscribes.

I’m left to believe that if it’s free and giving readers good information all is well.

But, if I ask for business, be ready to say goodbye to a few folks who become offended that I would have the nerve to do so.

I give, you get. I ask, you go.

Of course, in the big picture it’s a very small percentage of people that push the unsubscribe button and I’m extremely grateful for all of you that have hung with me for so many years.

And, I always appreciate your comments even when they take issue with something brilliant I’ve written.

Just remember the most fundamental discipline in sales is to ask for the order.

I’m always going to ask you for the order and you should too.

That’s all I’m gonna say, Tommy Gibbs.