Number of words – 158

In the 1970s, Southwest Airlines decided to put their flight attendants in hot pants and Go Go boots as part of their uniforms. It wasn’t their idea. Pacific Southwest, the California based airline after which Southwest modelled itself, did it first. Southwest simply copied them. Unlike Pacific Southwest, however, Southwest figured out something that would prove invaluable. They realised that when they recruited flight attendants, the only people who applied for the job were cheerleaders and majorettes. That’s because they were the only people who didn’t mind wearing the new uniforms. Cheerleaders and majorettes, however, fit in perfectly at Southwest. They didn’t  just have a great attitude, their whole disposition was about cheering people on. Spreading optimism. Leading others to believe that they can win. They were perfect fits at the company that was the champion of the common man. Realising this, Southwest started to recruit only cheerleaders and majorettes.

Excerpted from ‘Start with Why’ by Simon Sinek