Average Rating: 
Rating:  - You'd Have To Be Nuts Not To Read It
In Nuts! the Freibergs (husband and wife, co-authors) detail and explain the success of Southwest Airlines. They go far beyond simply analyzing the company and its key "LUV" ingredient for success.Through consulting and their later work in preparation for this book, the Freibergs have intimate knowledge of Southwest's operations, and put it to good use in presenting the company to readers. Moreover, they overtly show their enthusiasm for Southwest: the book is packed with words of praise from the Fribergs, Southwest employees, customers, and outsiders including GE's Jack Welch. All of these testimonials help to make the case that employees really do love what they do. The book is separated into four sections: the first details the history of Southwest. The second focuses on how Southwest does business; the third deals with the building blocks of the company's success. Finally, the book concludes -- and culminates -- with a section on how readers can incorporate Southwest techniques within their own business or work environment. These "secrets" to success are simple: trust your people, treat them as people (not "resources" or "employees"), celebrate the good, and make information easily available to everyone. As simple as they may be, the authors argue that many companies overlook them in deference to policy and procedure. Nuts! advocates that the People come first, the customers second, and everything else starts at third. Even the best books have their problems, and Nuts! is hurt by the excessive presentation of anecdotes and letters from customers in boxes, which you must stop to read. While they defiantly add something to the book, readability would have been improved by including them in-line with the text. Overall, this book is clearly a must-read for managers and employees alike. It is an enjoyable fast read and most everyone will take something valuable away from it!
Rating: - A new Southwest Airlines employee agrees. . .
I have read the reviews about how this book is "mushy." I think maybe because they can't believe that a company this good really exists. I am a brand-new employee to SWA, and this book is given to every new employee at the day-long welcome class. After participating in the class, reading this book, and experiencing the SWA culture first-hand, I can safely say that the book does NOT exaggerate! The feel-good style emphasized over and over in the book is a reality. People care about each other. Everyday (as shown in the book) everyone is made to feel valuable--and it makes you want to work harder, work smarter, and spread the LUV. Others may "say" that's what they are doing, but somehow it always comes back to "the rules." Herb Kelleher and crew are breaking the rules--and showing the others how to make a profit while caring about the dignity and welfare of the SWA family. Great and easily read book. Highly recommended.
Rating:  - Inspiring to read, although too little depth
Working in the airline industry, and very much involved in optimizing organizational output, Southwest has been a very admired and inspiring company for me since a long time. Having read already quite a bit about them, and talked to people working there, it was still great fun to read a more insight book of this company. It is amazing to read that they have been able to keep so many great cultural aspects of what you typically find in small start-up companies. The commitment people feel is something an outsider can be jealous about. What I was hoping to read more about in this book (and expected from writers with such a background) how Southwest was able to keep this great things while growing from a small start-up to a major airline in the US. If they had addressed this subject in their book, it would really make it top of the bill. Still the book can be very inspiring for people who want to get some ideas how they can get more out of their organization.
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