Speeches and Presentations from Southwest Leaders
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Colleen Barrett |
Southwest Airlines President Colleen Barrett doesn’t like to brag.
She didn’t aspire to become a lawyer, but she never dreamed that working for one would change her life. Barrett admits she doesn’t fit any business stereotype, and she eschews being called a “trailblazer.”
Talking recently to a group of female attorneys and San Antonio business leaders, Barrett recounted her personal journey to the helm of Southwest. “Beyond the Glass Ceiling” was presented by Oppenheimer, Blend, Harrison and Tate, Inc., in honor of National Women’s History Month to celebrate each woman’s uniqueness and how that shapes the world around us.
In 1967 Barrett arrived in San Antonio and eventually found work at the Oppenheimer law firm. She was quickly identified as the “heart” of the law firm with accolades for writing offbeat skits, organizing the firm’s parties, and using humor to break the ice.
Surrounded by people who wanted to see her grow and who gave her countless opportunities, Barrett followed the advice of a favorite uncle to follow her dreams and never give up on her goals. Barrett told the crowd she never thought the nurturing environment in which she was “raised” at the law firm as unusual. Today, she realizes the learning opportunity it was and is motivated to “pay it forward” and make a positive difference.
Barrett is proud of Southwest’s legacy of making prosperous careers available to women. The carrier was 52 percent female when it began 35 years ago and is still that way today. Southwest strives to promote from within, so management and leadership opportunities abound for talented and passionate women, she said. Southwest even has three women on its Board of Directors, including San Antonio resident Nancy Loeffler.
Other lessons learned included the values instilled from her mother—about practicing the Golden Rule and treating people with respect—and it was upon these values that Southwest was built. Barrett told the audience that Southwest’s success resulted from the Company’s great respect for its People.
The airline’s popularity grew from its effort to make travel accessible to everyone, she said. Before Southwest took to the skies in 1971, only the elite flew. “We only saw women traveling to funerals and weddings,” Barrett said.
From its humble beginnings to its current ranking as the nation’s largest carrier based on domestic passenger boardings, Southwest has remained focused on its People and its Customers. The goals, Barrett said, continue to be:
- the hometown carrier in each city served
- a good corporate citizen
- to be good neighbors
- to celebrate everything
- to make heroes of our People and Customers
She left the attendees with a charge to stay inspired and to commit to making a positive difference in whatever they endeavor.
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