Life/Work Balance: The Secret of Always Having Something Fun to Anticipate!

At the most recent Southwest Airlines Culture Committee Meeting, my good friend Scott Andrezjwski, who is an Aircraft Mechanic for Southwest Airlines, told me he had taken up a new hobby and was really enjoying it. Our team has been doing research for strategies to create and maintain extraordinary Life/Work Balance so my curiosity was eager to learn more. When I asked what triggered this change in his life, he shared the following story:

“To answer your question about daring myself to learn to play the piano.....You are to blame, Ann! Yes you! After last year’s Culture Committee Meeting that found you doing your playful, and not-so-polished tap dance in front of the group (as you said just like kids would do in a spontaneous show in the backyard), you asked us what our childhood dreams might be that we never had the courage to act on. I took that thought home. Besides my dream of becoming the next quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers, I always had a fascination with the piano. I don't know why. No one in my family played. In fact, I didn't know anyone that had a piano or played it. I'm racking my brain right now and still cannot think of why I liked the piano. I have never had a music lesson of any kind. I sang in the choir in Middle School, but that was about the extent of my musical talent. So, since my professional sports days are long past, I dared myself to learn piano. I guess it was my New Year Resolution.

I knew I wouldn’t find the time for individual lessons, so I found http://www.learnpianoonline.com. It didn't cost very much, so I joined. I purchased a very inexpensive keyboard. I figured if I didn't like it, I could always give it to a niece or nephew as a gift. My investment is minimal; I just have to find the time. I do it at home, at my own pace, without any pressure. It has been fun and Challenging!


I'm about midway through the lesson plan. The further along it goes, the harder it gets. I can actually read music now. That in itself is remarkable, but I still have a long way to go. I can play any beginners music now. Simple stuff like: “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” “On Top of Old Smokey,” “Skip to My Lou,” and “Jingle Bells.” It's been fun, but I wish life wouldn't get in the way so much. Our jobs, homes, family, relationships and hobbies take way to much time out of the day. Maybe that's why we all long to be that kid again. Life was so much easier back then.


Hopefully I will finish all the lessons. If I do, maybe I'll play my first recital during a Culture meeting. Whether I do or don’t perform for all our friends at Southwest Airlines, I’ll still have a fun new way to keep my life energized. It’s been fun learning and creating something new, something outside my comfort zone. I’ll keep you informed of my progress.”

I encouraged Scott to remember to enjoy this new interest purely for the fun of it and not with the expectations of mastery that he brings to his work as a top-notch Aircraft Mechanic. As kids, we only stuck with new interests as long as they were fun and that was a big part of the magic. Can you recall that sense of enticing pleasure and adventure?


I am remembering a great story from our good friend, Ed Platt, and electrical engineer who was then Plant Manager at a very demanding power plant in Central Texas. There was a great deal of stress due to contentious union negotiations. When I challenged the leaders of Ed’s company to find a fun hobby to explore and enjoy, both to increase their energy and to nurture their creative spirit, Ed discovered the fun of creating with stain glass. He would doodle designs in the endless business meetings that are part of being a plant manager. And then go home and head to his work shop after dinner to enjoy executing his ideas.


When his colleagues discovered his new hobby and how prolific he had become designing in stained glass, they asked how in the world he found the time. He responded, “It’s easy! I look forward to working with this creative outlet in the time I used to spend just feeling tired.” He noted that as a result of this new-found interest, he rested better and enjoyed more energy, more patience, and better attitude.


Remember as kids when we would challenge each other gleefully with, “I double- dog dare you!” Well I double-dog dare you to go find a new special interest and enjoy it just for the fun of it! As you do, notice the quality and quantity of fresh energy you experience. When something is fun for us, our brain emits endorphins which thin the blood, open tiny capillaries and enhance not only our energy and intelligence but also our creativity, immune system and patience. We sleep better and become more intuitive.


In essence, child-like play is the magic that makes all of life more rewarding, fun and productive. What’s fun for you and when are you planning your next adventure?

I Double-Dog Dare You!!!

Left, Gary Kelly. CEO Soutwest Airlines.

Right, Scott Andrezjwski. Aircraft Mechanic.

Issom Willis, 24 years of Extraordinary Customer Service for SWA

Since I first began flying SWA in and out of Lovefield, I’ve noticed the Extraordinary enthusiasm and ‘can do‘spirit of skycaps at SWA.  One who immediately won my heart over and over is Issom Willis who proudly welcomes Customers at Lovefield baggage curbside check in.  But what he does is just the way Southwest teaches all their Employees to serve Customers. Warrior Spirit, Leading with a Servant’s Heart and Fun-Luving Attitude defines the spirit of SWA.

Many years ago I was traveling with a large brown cardboard box of books that had been rained on while waiting to be loaded into the belly of the plane. As it comes off the conveyor belt, my box had come apart at all the seams with books spilling out everywhere.

Issom sprang into action. Out of nowhere he appeared with a large roll of strapping tape and helped gather up all 48 books. Carefully he re-taped my box and helped tuck each book back into place saving me several hundred dollars in precious inventory.

When I offered him a tip, he refused, assuring me that he was only doing his job. “We hope you will come back every chance you get and fly Southwest. And I’ll be here eager to assist you!”

That was many years ago. I can’t tell you how frequently Issom goes the extra mile. I can tell you that he’s won a special place in my heart and Customer loyalty to SWA that won’t quit!

Southwest Airlines Goes All Out for Halloween: Tom and Renee Earned a Standing Ovation

Three tired travelers raced to gate 43 at Houston Hobby Airport, hoping to fly home on standby. Two Southwest Airline Gate Agents, Renee and Tom, decked out in festive T-Shirts quickly and efficiently found three open seats and "cackled" gleefully, knowing they had just won our hearts with great Customer Service!

Thanks to skycap, Ozzie, and flying Business Select (great deal! Only costing a few dollars more) we were able to zip through security, catch an earlier flight and arrive home an hour and a half early! Now that’s Spooky Spectacular Service!

Every Halloween SWA goes all out with gate agents decorating gates and wearing really creative costumes on Halloween. Check out the haunted forest and Halloween space aliens at two gates at Hobby. They really know how to keep you laughing and entertained while flying safely on SWA. Great job by a great team!

TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE

Leaders have a powerful opportunity to transform the results of their businesses and win a high new level of ownership and loyalty from Employees and Customers by replacing the traditional single bottom line accounting to a triple bottom line. A triple bottom line balances profitability, people (how Employees, Customers, vendors, supplies, and people in the community are treated) and planet (responsibility for the environment).

A pace-setting example of this is Southwest Airlines, a company who has long been known for being a great place to enjoy an inspiring career and team with highly motivated and supportive people. Warrior spirit, leading with a servant’s heart and fun-loving attitude define the spirit of Southwest. And in the last few years, they have added serious environmental stewardship to the list.

In the April, 2010, Spirit Magazine, Gary Kelly tells about new initiatives coming from their “Employee-led Green Team, which is striving to put a green filter on business decisions and improve our operations.” They are announcing their Green Plane which is part of their Next Generation initiative to encourage their industry to think green and support innovation to lower greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption by 6-15 percent. This new plane is testing new materials and design to decrease weight per seat, increase wear and reduce waste sent to landfills.

When companies begin to do this well, they get a bounce from a triple bottom line to a triple TOP line as Employees, Customers, vendors and people everywhere feel inspired to support doing the right for our natural environment. Thanks, SWA, for inspiring your industry to do the right thing and find environmentally friendly ways to provide air transportation. We are proud of own Southwest stock and be your loyal customers.
Note: Southwest has long had a tradition of capitalizing People, Employees and Customers as a way to show respect.

More information about SWA's green plane can be found  here.

Culture Committee at Southwest Airlines, March, 2010

COUNT ON ME to OWN IT! is the theme for 2010 as Southwest Employees are pumped and ready to “kick tail” to stay out in front in their industry. Gary Kelly, CEO, challenged all of us in his recent Message to the Field to each bring our best self to this year as it promises to be yet another really challenging year to stay profitable with rising fuel prices.
Wednesday, Carol Haddock and I enjoyed the first of four all-day meetings with the SWA Culture Committee. This begins the 20th year we have had the honor of participating and experiencing tremendous change. For example, as a direct result of an Employee Survey two years ago, Colleen Barrett added a team of Culture Ambassadors, one for each major work group, to work full-time in support of their local culture. In all there are eight Ambassadors and they also help plan the Culture Committee Meetings.
One of the creative things they did last year was to design a Culture Passport for each of us. We get it stamped whenever we participate in a service/celebration event, such as the SWA/Ronald McDonald Dallas LUV Classic Golf Tournament to raise money for this charity, Message to the Field, appreciation events with a meal for the Maintenance Teams, packing over 3,000 goody bags to give out to the flight crew who work over Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, etc.
They come up with a fun theme for each meeting and the 120 members are seated at tables so we meet new friends at each of the four meetings. This meeting was all about sports so there was football, baseball, volleyball, etc. We were asked to come in sports attire with T-shirts for our favorite sports team. We had members in tennis outfits and hockey gear and lots of funny stuff. One woman brought her kayaking paddle and gear. Carol came home with an official Green Bay Packer’s Cheese Head hat!
There is always a report from Kevin Krone, VP, Marketing, Sales and Distribution, and we get to see the new commercials. What is so cool is the Culture Committee is educated at each session about the complexity of the airlines business and why it is increasingly difficult to make a profit. What has always been so fascinating is that their motto and guiding principal is to “do the right thing”. So, for example, with Bags Fly Free, they are foregoing a lot of potential profit but not hassling their Customers with extra fees. And Customers obviously appreciate this. A significant number continue to switch to Southwest Airlines after experiencing being quoted a ticket price only to discover that there is an extra $120 round trip for baggage fees!
I sat at a table with two new “rookie” members of the tea, Kelly Tidwell & Tisha Hirsch, who had both worked at other airlines prior to Southwest. They both were so enthusiastic about getting to work at Southwest. One thing they both shared was the importance of Employees “self policing” to keep the culture strong. Both are flight attendants and they said they learned early that if someone on their crew was grumpy or not stepping up with a great Southwest Spirit, they would tactfully remind them that every Customer and every contact counts tremendously. If we want to keep our jobs secure we’ve got to come through with spectacular Customer Service! And that means a big smile and searching for creative ways to make every Customer glad they chose to fly SWA.
When you have this level of ownership from a majority of Employees who “get it”, you have something really special. And we can tell you that Southwest works very hard to make sure complacency doesn’t creep in.
At the end of the day we had seen several fun videos (some made on his own time by a very gifted volunteer, Bob Hurst!) We had lots of fun. Worked hard together on ideas for new, fun events for 2010. We made many new friends. And signed up to pitch in and help out with dozens of great celebrations and service events that will happen coast to coast! By keeping work fun and keeping Employees feeling appreciated and in on things, they keep the morale high for every Employee. Carol and I left really inspired and energized by the amazing spirit that keeps Southwest at the top of their industry!
Ann McGee-Cooper & Carol Haddock
P.S. If you haven’t already found it, go to www.southwest.com for more great stories about Southwest Spirit!


(This terrific video was produced by Bob Hurst, award-winning videographer for Southwest Airlines Culture Committee!)