Ginger Hardage

What is the most important thing when we think about our brands? Ginger Has a simple answer – people. In this inspiring talk, Ginger discusses why employee engagement is the single most important element when any of us are thinking about our brands. She knows that the way an organization behaves on the inside will find its way to the outside, and that the true character of any company is expressed by its people. In “Building a Brand from the Inside Out,” learn from this 25-year Southwest Airlines veteran about creating an “employee first” culture where employees are engaged, act like owners, and are connected to their organization’s purpose.

If we look back to our parents’ and grandparents’ generation of organizations, winning was often defined quite simply – as producing the most widgets for the least amount of money. Profits alone were the name of the game to companies and a paycheck was all that mattered to employees. But times have changed. These days, leaders understand deeply that aligning their organization to a deeper, rooted purpose – and ensuring that their employees and even customers are bought in to this purpose – is critical. Purpose mobilizes an organization in a way that profits alone cannot; today’s most successful companies consistently thread purpose and values throughout their organizations, including hiring, training, customer delivery, and performance management. In this talk, Ginger will inspire with insights from category-leading companies that are harnessing a well-defined purpose to propel their success.

An organization is only as strong as its people — and that’s why winning the war to attract, engage, and retain top talent is so crucial to organizational success. With a 96% employee retention rate and decades on multiple lists as a Top Employer, Southwest Airlines has been a standout Employer Brand since before the creation of that buzz phrase. And now former Chief Culture & Communications Officer, Ginger Hardage, is pulling back the curtain on how Southwest attracts, engages, and retains their extraordinary (and extraordinarily loyal) workforce. In this keynote from Ginger, you will glean the timeless strategies that have led to Southwest’s acclaimed success in the people arena, stay current on other top strategies from leading companies, and learn how to apply them to your own organization.

When considering organizational culture, universal lies tend to rise to the surface. In the back of our minds, we have little voices telling us that we can’t change the culture of our companies and teams. Or perhaps you think culture is fluffy, you can’t afford culture, or that if you empower your employees, you might lose control. But, none of those are true! Ginger Hardage explores the five lies people tell about why they can’t affect culture and reveals the counteracting truths that allow companies to build Unstoppable Cultures in their own organizations. If a leader creates culture intentionally, that organization becomes unstoppable.

Every company has a culture, whether it's innovative, fun, toxic, or profit-driven. Some cultures are intentional, while others are accidental. They can attract or repel people, support or hinder the organization's mission. Ginger's signature talk delves into the essence of "Unstoppable Cultures," which prioritize people, consistently nurture their environment through systems, and are relentless in storytelling. Attendees will learn the critical characteristics of these cultures and gain practical, inspiring ideas to start building the ideal culture for their organization.