Personal Impact and Influence Leadership: Sparrow Airlines Case Study

Sparrow Airlines was started after identifying a need for the middle-class inclusion in the air transport sector. Most of the airlines were offering first class and budget class services, creating a gap for the middle-class customers. Our motivation was intensified after conducting research which revealed that over fifty percent of the people traveling across the country by air would prefer a middle-class section since this population is composed of middle-class earners and may not have the luxury to book the expensive first and business classes, especially when traveling across the country. Apart from passenger services, the airline also ferries cargo as well as any other delivery service. Sparrow Airlines, therefore, operates within the country but has plans to expand the services to international destinations shortly.

The value proposition for Sparrow Airlines is based on the services the airline originally planned to deliver, and the value the company wished to add to the passengers who would be using these services. The target clientele for our airline was the middle-class earner who wants to travel across the country for personal endeavors but at a reasonable fare price that he or she can afford. The idea was fueled by the limited number of airlines who could offer these services at such cost since most of the airlines are first and business classes. The problem that Sparrow came to solve was to offer an opportunity to this middle class that either felt left out in the air service, had to pay more than they could afford or budgeted for in their travels, or were forced to use other means of transport which could turn inconveniencing in most cases. The high number of passengers that Sparrow Airlines receives is a true indicator of the need that existed before the company was started. There are a few other airlines that offer middle-class services, but Sparrow supersedes them since our services are high quality and caters to the needs of the passengers. Despite the fact that passengers are paying for middle-class services, the experience with the airline is almost similar to that of first-class passengers with just a few differences. We ensure that our passengers are comfortable while on a flight as well as keep time as scheduled. Additionally, the airline offers discounts during particular periods. These factors have made Sparrow Airlines the most preferred for the middle class.

Management Values as a Genuine Source of Motivation in the Organization

Sparrow Airlines is founded and driven by the following values which are geared towards the overall achievement of our goals of delivering quality and affordable air travel services to the middle-class population. The company values are as follows:

Put our customers first

Commitment and accountability

Respect for all

Applying ethics in all dealings

Innovativeness

Being team players

Continuous improvement

Sparrow Airlines believes that our customers come first. As such, the mandate of the airline is to provide services that are satisfactory to the passengers and ensuring that their experience is memorable. The company has a customer service department that deals with customers from their queries, bookings, concerns, and suggestions if they have any. This is the department that is also responsible for providing comfort when on air throughout the journey, such as refreshments and anything that is within the travel package for the passengers. Complaints from passengers are taken seriously and addressed appropriately. This has resulted in the airline having a good rating with passengers who have traveled with the airline. Secondly, commitment and accountability is a critical pillar of our value system. We are committed to delivering our promises to our passengers. Every member of staff is accountable to the board of management, and everyone bears their burden if it comes to that. A bleach on the commitment that would lead to dissatisfaction for our customers is taken seriously and leads to disciplinary actions for the culprit to the extent of dismissal if the offense is considered gross.

Respect for everyone is a value that is highly esteemed. This is because respect is what ensures that every stakeholder in Sparrow Airlines lives in harmony with one another and that operations flow smoothly. Respect is accorded to everyone regardless of the rank while ensuring that all hold their positions and do as is required of them in the positions that they hold. Our customers are also required to approach the staff members with respect even if they are launching a complaint. This value has given Sparrow Airlines a relatively smooth flow in the years that it has been in operation, minimizing the number of scandals often experienced with other airlines in the country. Respect is coupled with the value of being ethical in all our dealings. The operations in Sparrow follow the guidelines of work ethics as stipulated in the constitution and rules governing air travel in the country. These ethics are in dealing with customers and employees, as well as in service delivery. Innovativeness is another value that is embraced in Sparrow Airlines. This value aims at improving the services of the airline as well as keeping up with the changes in the air travel sector. This is to ensure that our services are always the best through which we will retain our customers as well as attract more from our competitors and the new clients joining air travel.

Team work is highly regarded and recommended in Sparrow Airlines. One of the key performance indicators for the employees is the ability to be a team player. The importance of teamwork cannot be underestimated since the different departments in the company are interdependent on each other and, therefore, need to work as a team for efficient delivery of services. Finally, continuous improvement is our everyday push. We believe that doing it right for the first time should be followed by a continuous trend which forms the pattern for our company and gives us the legacy that we currently hold. Continuous improvement as a value works closely with innovativeness to bring in services that are always attractive to the customers. One outcome of innovativeness and continuous improvement has been the discounts offered to customers on purchasing certain products of Sparrow Airlines. All these values are practiced in equal measure and adhered to strictly in the company and have resulted in the success of the company.

7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Dr. Stephen Covey

The seven habits of highly effective people provided by Dr. Stephen Covey forms a great deal of influence in the running of Sparrow Airlines. These habits as prescribed by Dr. Covey are incorporated to inform decisions in the company. The first three habits in order of appearance talk about moving from dependence to independence, the next three relate to independence, and the last habit focuses on continuous development. These habits are incorporated differently into the company as discussed under the sub-headings below:

Self-Confidence as a Guarantee for Private Victory

Self-confidence is a key component in private or internal victory for the company. The first, second, sixth, and seventh habit as described by Dr. Covey are in support of this aspect. The first habit is about Being Proactive. This habit revolves around the concepts of Circle of Influence and Circle of Concern. Circle of Influence advises on working from the center of influence outwards while constantly working towards expanding it. Circle of Concern relates to not waiting for problems to happen to take action but rather being proactive and acting to prevent them from happening. At Sparrow Airlines, proactive behavior is applied to customers by taking up the initiative of ensuring that laid down procedures are followed whether for inquiries, bookings, or raising complaints. The staff members are always on standby to address any and every issue that arises. The management has realized an expansion of the circle of influence, and this explains the intentions to expand the airline to international destinations.

The second habit is Begin with the End in Mind. The end product informs the plans undertaken to reach there. This requires a constant review of the mission statement to determine whether one is still on course. The goal for Sparrow Airlines was to provide quality air travel services for the middle class first in the country and later expand internationally. The company is steering on course considering that it has managed to cover travels within the country and is soon planning to launch international travels. This shows that this habit is being incorporated into the company. The sixth habit of Dr. Covey, in support of self-confidence as a measure for private victory, emphasizes on Synergy. Victory is achieved through the combination of efforts from different members of the company with each playing a contributing role to the overall victory. The combination of efforts/strengths is realized through the value of teamwork which is one pillar that guides the operations of Sparrow Airlines. The last habit in support of self-confidence is the seventh which Dr. Covey calls Sharpening the Saw. This habit is geared towards continuous improvement both in personal and interpersonal spheres of influence. This habit calls for balancing and renewing resources to create a sustainable, long-term, and effective lifestyle in the organization. Covey explains this habit using the upward spiral model in which he says that the upward spiral will lead to growth, change, and continuous improvement. Continuous improvement is one of the values of Sparrow Airlines and as such the habit of sharpening the saw is incorporated in the company. This is done through community service through corporate social responsibility which has earned the company the favor from the communities. This explains the growth that has been witnessed in the company.

Rebuilding Important Relations to Achieve Public Victory

Public victory can be realized if managements apply the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh habit of highly effective people as outlined by Dr. Covey. How these habits are incorporated into the company to achieve the public victory witnessed by Sparrow Airlines will be discussed. These habits are Think Win-Win, Seek first to understand, then to be understood, Synergize, and Sharpen the Saw. On Think win-win, Covey advises for the idea of a win for all to be embraced. This in Sparrow Airlines means a win for the company as well as its customers. As earlier mentioned, Sparrow puts customers first with every intention being geared towards customer satisfaction. When customers are satisfied, they will maintain their loyalty which will keep the company running. More customers are attracted which has enabled the company to grow to the intended international destinations. On the habit of seeking to understand, then to be understood, Covey advises on listening intently to a person which compels them to also be open-minded in listening to you. This creates a habit of caring which eases the process of problem-solving. In Sparrow Airlines, this habit is cultivated by encouraging every person to share their concerns with their colleagues to prevent problems from escalating to dangerous lengths. Seniors are encouraged to create a friendly environment with their juniors to enable the latter to freely open up to the former. Synergy is realized through the cooperation of all the departments. Through these efforts, the company can sharpen the saw and scale to the heights it is today.

Core Concepts of Marketing

The core concepts of marketing of Sparrow Airline include target market, segmentation, competition, and marketing plan....