Ginger Hardage

Ginger Hardage, former Senior Vice President of Culture and Communications at Southwest Airlines, discusses the significance of corporate culture as a strategic asset. She debunks five common misconceptions that hinder healthy work environments. The conversation highlights the benefits of empowering employees rather than controlling them, linking strong culture to improved customer satisfaction and profitability. Ginger shares innovative strategies, like storytelling and inclusive decision-making, to cultivate vibrant workplaces that align personal values with corporate goals.

Ginger Hardage, former senior vice president of culture at Southwest Airlines, brings her expertise in building organizational cultures to discuss the five pervasive myths about corporate culture. She reveals that culture is not just the CEO's responsibility, and that values need to be actively integrated into everyday practices. Ginger also addresses the misconception that empowering employees leads to a loss of control, emphasizing that flexibility fosters creativity and enhances customer service. Ultimately, she advocates for defining and nurturing a culture that drives success.

Ginger Hardage, former Senior VP of Culture & Communications at Southwest Airlines, shares insights from her 25 years fostering the airline's legendary culture. She discusses the core values behind 'The Southwest Way'—servant's heart, fun-loving attitude, and warrior spirit—and their impact on employee engagement and loyalty. Ginger outlines effective hiring practices, the importance of storytelling in embedding values, and how leadership recognition can shape culture. She also highlights organizations to study and pitfalls to avoid for building enduring cultures.