350: How to Create an Unstoppable Culture, with Ginger Hardage

Ginger Hardage: Unstoppable Cultures

Ginger Hardage is the former senior vice president of culture at Southwest Airlines. She led a team responsible for building and sustaining the organization’s legendary culture and communications enterprise, resulting in 23 consecutive years on Fortune’s list of Top 10 Most Admired Companies in the World.

Key Points

Three Characteristics of an Unstoppable Culture:

1. Putting people first
2. Constantly nourishing your culture
3. Sharing stories relentlessly

• Cultures don’t happen accidentally — they have to be managed.
• Start with your company values and then hire for those values.
• Use peers to help select and interview candidates.
• If the leadership team is not fully engaged, employees will be able to tell.
• Capture customer stories and share them with your employees.
• Set your company vision and expectations, but don’t prescribe how you employees must go about doing it.

Resources Mentioned

• Hire Tough Manage Easy* by Mel Kleiman
• Unstoppable Cultures Fellowship
• Exuberant Dancing Airport Employee Will Instantly Make Your Day More Enjoyable
• How Southwest Airlines Uses Emotional Storytelling To Connect With Its Customers
• Turn the Ship Around* by David Marquet

Related Episodes

• Turn Followers Into Leaders, with David Marquet (episode 241)
• How to Get the Ideal Team Player, with Patrick Lencioni (episode 301)
• The Way to Capture the Power of Moments, with Chip Heath (episode 329)

Discover More

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.