Howard Putnam Speaker Biography
Former CEO of Southwest Airlines, Author of
The Winds of Turbulance
Howard Putnam’s ultimate objective is Bottom Line Improvement. He believes that cultures that place people as their highest priority have the greatest long-term impact and success.
Howard Putnam is the former CEO of the highly successful Southwest Airlines, transforming a small entrepreneurial venture into a major competitor. In three years, profits increased by 200 percent. Putnam accepted the challenge of Braniff International in 1981 and became the first Chairman and CEO to successfully restructure a major airline out of bankruptcy. Earlier, he spent over 20 years with United Airlines, his final position being Group Vice President of Marketing.
He has also been an entrepreneur and has learned “Crisis Management” by living it. Harvard wrote a case study on his Braniff experiences called “The Ethics of Bankruptcy.” It is a model for handling all stakeholders honestly and ethically in crisis and moving the process to a rapid and successful conclusion in only 16 months. Braniff flew again in 1984.
HarperCollins published his first book in 1991 on leadership and ethics, The Winds of Turbulence. He is a regular commentator for NPR’s Marketplace program. He has an MBA in Marketing from the University of Chicago and attended Harvard’s Advanced Management Program.
For nearly thirty years, Howard played a leading role in one of the most exciting and rapidly changing industries. He earned a well-deserved reputation for his capacity to think systematically, create a vision, build a team, define a niche, and design successful strategies for managing growth and crisis. An impressive entertainer and motivational speaker, Howard shares his prescription for successful management in the 21st century.
Howard Putnam grew up in an Iowa farm where he learned to fly. His wife, Krista, a former flight attendant, is a native of Ohio.
Howard Putnam Speaking Topics
Leadership: Successful Strategies Through Turbulence
Leaders must have a clear and concise vision if they want their organizations to survive and thrive through turbulence. A clear understanding of what business or businesses you are really in is critical. Cultures can then be developed to support the vision and business. Bottom line improvement comes through your people. Howard Putnam has successfully led organizations through the maze following these principles of leadership and will share them with you.
Visioning: Some Play The Game, Others Change The Way The Game Is Played
Southwest Airlines changed the way the game is played in the airline industry. They created a new model that focused on low costs, low fares and great customer service. The goal was to expand the size of the pie (market). They hired "attitudes" and developed skill sets. Tradition doesn't always work in any industry. Sometimes you have to flip your model upside down for a fresh look.
Innovation: Creating a Culture and Process for Ideas to Hatch
Innovation and bold steps occur in organizations that embrace and foster a climate and culture for risk taking and idea implementation. Howard Putnam proved this philosophy works when he was CEO of Southwest Airlines. He positioned and organized Southwest for growth and profitability utilizing a very flat management structure with decision making and idea development embedded in everyone's job scope and responsibility. Individuals and teams were rewarded for risk taking and for designing out of the box processes and improvements in productivity, customer service, cost containment, safety and profitability. Brands develop when people thrive in the vision and experience. In this presentation he will describe how this can work in your organization.
Change: Transforming Organizations Successfully & Profitably
Many organizations are out of alignment in the current turbulent environment. Their design is outdated with bureaucracy and a hierarchy that is expensive and inefficient. Howard Putnam will show you how to transform your business into a "flow state" organization that is focused, nimble, flexible, cost effective and able to utilize the "stages of turbulence" which he will identify for you to take advantage of being in a change state.
People and Culture: Hiring Attitudes & Developing Their Skills
Successful organizations that are in business for the long term, place their people first if they want sustained bottom line improvement. Howard Putnam led the visioning process at Southwest Airlines in which a key element was the culture, putting their people first and matching attitudes with the culture. Happy employees and superior customer service resulted from this concept. He will share behind the scenes looks on how this was accomplished with great stories, humor and concrete suggestions for you.
Ethics: The Ultimate Challenge in Ethics; Are You Really the Person Your Dog Thinks You Are?
Organizations cannot ignore the need for proactive efforts to ingrain honesty, integrity and trust at every level. Today's environment requires ethical leaders, if they want their businesses to survive and grow. Howard Putnam learned the values of trust and honesty as he grew up on an Iowa farm. He has embodied those principles in his successful business career. He took on the challenge of saving Braniff International only to find the "books had been cooked" prior to his arrival. He will share this character building experience of taking a major airline through Chapter 11 successfully and offer a flight plan for you to implement in your organization.
Howard Putnam Books
