Shared Goals, SharedKnowledge, and MutualRespect = A Shared Mission

James F. Parker

The term Jody Hoffer Gittell used to describe Southwest’s greatest competitive advantage, “relational coordination,” is basically an academic term for teamwork. In other words, people work across functional lines toward the achievement of common goals. Through field research and statistical analysis, Gittel demonstrated that such teamwork is not just an organizational nicety, but that it produces a dramatic difference in performance.

Scott McCartney, respected airline columnist and reporter for the Wall Street Journal, covered the saga of American’s diverted Flight 1348, which was left stranded on the Austin tarmac for eight hours with no food, no water, and overflowing ...