Leading from the Middle

Caption: SWA’s CEO Hank Kelleher and CEO Kurt Herwald of Stevens Aviation getting ready to ‘rassle.

The Musk/Zuckerberg cage fight, as termed above* and located in Italy, may never happen.
The humorless Zuckerberg and the iconoclastic Musk may go the congested path of undelivered promises.
Those rooting for the Zucker approve of his accommodating governmental censorship of social media. Those for Musk approve of his exposing that methodical erosion of free speech..
As for the notion of leadership, the much ballyhooed event offers little more than one would find in an elementary school playground with kindergarteners calling each other names.
Only, Elon does it better than the “Zuck”.
It all reminds me of another match, a real one.
In 1992 there was the “Malice in Dallas” arm-wrestle between SWA’s CEO Hank Kelleher and Kurt Herwald, the CEO of Stevens Aviation.
The fight was to settle who got to use the slogan “Just Plane Smart.”
Both corporations were using the slogan with Stevens Aviation probably the original user.
To avoid a million-dollar law suit, Herwald suggested an arm-wrestling match, winner take all. Kelleher gleefully accepted. And the rest is history.
So far, the Mensa Menace in Milan offers none of the good fun of Malice in Dallas; rather, the Milan event would be a cringeworthy grudge match between two spoiled kindergarteners.
Malice in Dallas was fun from the beginning and it benefited both companies, especially Stevens Aviation.
Remember that Hank Kelleher
was in his time as much of an iconoclast as Musk, setting the airline industry on its ear.
Yet to this day, even after Hank's death in 2022 and SWAs 2022 Christmas melt-down, SWA retains its ingrained kindness and sense of humor.
Last week, I flew SWA cross country to Boston and was delighted - yes, that’s the word - that the flight attendants were not only attentive to a fully packed plane of 177 fliers but could joke about it.
As the lights lowered, one intoned in a hypnotic voice: “You are getting sleepy; the lights are fading, you are letting go of all your stress…. We’ll be napping too, but we won’t wake you until we reach Boston ….”
And, there was more lightheartedness.
All a good laugh. It was great to see SWAs fun tradition living on.
Do CEO’s Just Wanna Have Fun?
There’s probably an unwritten rule that CEOs must always avoid anything that could be embarrassing or open to ridicule.
Herb was different.
He worked hard and long hours but he could play when called upon and he never forgot the one for the other.
There is no need for any leader to always be distinguished, solemn, or staid; for Hank, his having fun was giving permission for everyone else at SWA to do the same and, while taking the job seriously, not to take themselves too seriously.
I recall doing a workshop for a dignified (i.o.w., stodgy) group of directors - in suits - very reluctant to take part in a session that involved a mildly challenging game called a “group juggle”.
Instead of it enjoying the challenge and the fun, they were afraid of doing something that might lead to ridicule.
In another instance of leaderly face saving, the director of a prestigious (aren't they all?) executive development program chastened me about taking photos of participants. I was involved in the outdoor segment of the program which involved multiple team building activities.
The boss told me the photos could be used to show the executives having too much fun! Like I said, Dignity über alles!
When Kurt, Herb’s opponent, was asked about taking part in the Malice in Dallas. Kurt said he was offered some advice: “Look, you’re in a ridiculous situation; the only way you win is if you show the world you’re comfortable being in a ridiculous situation.” Kurt says that advice was right. “As a young CEO, you worry a lot about impressions and image. But, really, people just want you to be yourself and show your vulnerability.” Emphasis added.

Click here for a video of Malice in Dallas which might be well worth viewing by Mr. Musk and Mr. Zuckerberg should they indeed go forward with their grudge match.

*Since both are allegedly high IQ, the Mensa fits. Menace is self explanatory and the Milan makes alliterative sense.

 

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