IndexOrganizationOur Biggest ProblemThe Importance of Emotional IntelligenceRecommendationsConclusion and Future OutlookSouthwest Airlines is a company built with the heart in mind and the spirit of flying in the soul. As the late Herb Kelleher said, “if you don't change, you die.” I believe Herb built Southwest Airlines on this mantra because he always knew it was headed for greatness. However, no matter how great a company is, there is always room for improvement to make a stellar company even better. In this essay I will discuss how and why Southwest Airlines needs some improvements. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayOrganization Southwest Airlines' mission is dedication to the highest quality of customer service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and corporate spirit. As an employee, I believe this mentality is present every day in our company. Employees exude pure joy while at work and with their dedication to the mission of the late Herb Kelleher, these employees couldn't imagine being anywhere else. The sense of commitment is uncanny and truly unheard of as all employees achieve the same goal in different ways. There's a saying at Southwest that my teammates have learned over their 20-plus years with the company: Come for the free flights and stay for the LUV. In my three years, I have definitely felt the same LUV and as I travel, I am always amazed at the amount of dedication across the country. Southwest Airlines now has more than 65,000 employees and we continue to experience exponential growth every year. This growth brings with it many changes, physical and emotional, to the company and its headquarters. As an example, in 1967, when the company was founded, we were flying to three cities in Texas with three planes en route. Today we fly 750 aircraft to over 100 cities. This is a lot of growth, but with this growth comes a lot of unknowns and a lot of requirements on the part of the company that they may not be quite ready for. Our Biggest ProblemSouthwest Airlines is known for having a stellar company culture, colloquially known for having fun with lots of parties and a drink or two to celebrate any accomplishment. There are more than ten major corporate celebrations a year, with tons of excitement and corporate messages surrounding each one. Looking outward, this is a great selling point for future employees as it affirms that we get the job done and have a lot of fun while doing it. While this sense of celebration is positive and always seems to keep morale and overall happiness high, there are absolute difficulties associated with it. The emotional imbalance of employees and uneven level of commitment from Southwest Airlines is a major struggle affecting all departments. Some companies don't realize how critical emotions are to building the right culture and helping the company thrive. There are two sides of the spectrum. First, there are employees who have been with Southwest for a long time, they call all employees family, offer hugs to everyone, and are happy to participate in any culture-related event because they believe they have earned it through their tenure. and experience. Then there is the opposite side of the spectrum, employees who like to come to work, who like to complete their tasks on time, who don't mind partying, but don't see it as necessary for their job role and may sometimes feel uncomfortable. This fact has created a big gap among the employeesas each party has a negative view of the other and does not work together to resolve it, and more importantly, neither does the company. Emotions play an important role in any business, large or small. I believe that how the company manages the emotions of its employees remains the most important element and can move a company forward or push it back. As the world and workforce continue to change, Southwest Airlines must become more inclusive and emotionally respectful of all employees. The Importance of Emotional Intelligence According to Jason A. Colquitt, Jeffery A. Lepine, and Michael J. Wesson (2019), emotional intelligence is a set of skills related to the understanding and use of emotions that influence social functioning. With this definition in mind, this is why Southwest Airlines is starting down a slippery slope leaving many employees behind. The first stage of emotional intelligence is self-awareness. This is understanding the individual's emotions, recognizing them and expressing them naturally. Another awareness that plays a role is other awareness, the recognition of emotions in others. These points amplify key problematic facts at Southwest Airlines, and their misinterpretation is causing harm and confusion. In many ways, it seems like the two groups of employees mentioned earlier, the longtime employee versus the new hire, are working against each other. other. Every group of employees has experienced the more difficult, yet influential, side of emotional intelligence. Starting to engage in counterproductive behaviors like gossip and harassment is the first point of contention for these two groups, I believe, orchestrated by Southwest Airlines. There are three parties here that are all trying to work together, but are actually working against each other. Emotional cultural intelligence refers to the level of effort and perseverance an individual exerts when trying to understand and adapt to new cultures. This is the main point for Southwest Airlines as I believe the employees are trying to adapt, but have not been given the right resources or opportunities. In almost all companies, emotional intelligence is not managed at all and companies suffer because of it. I believe that for Southwest Airlines to continue to be successful and see growth, emotional intelligence must become a top priority. Recommendations I believe there are three key steps that Southwest Airlines can begin to take to close the employee gap. First, I consider implementing training for all employees based on inclusion. Second, reduce the number of company-sponsored events for employees. Finally, I would recommend that all leaders sit down with all of their direct reports to have a conversation about their combined needs, both the employee and Southwest Airlines. Starting in early 2019, we implemented Fearfully Authentic training, four modules built with management making workplace inclusion a priority. This training would be created by an external source and would be required for all leaders, defined as a direct reporting employee, and optional for all employees. This training would focus on teaching the basics of being able to come together, even with different opinions, rather than separating. Since emotional intelligence is a skill that can be improved through training, I believe this step is crucial to changing the space from negative to positive. As stated previously, culture is an important part of Southwest Airlines. Not to postpone it, but to enhance it, I believe the number of company-sponsored events should be limited to four per year. To date,.