财富忠告：尊重一个人是因为他本人值得尊重，而不是因为他的头衔名号。

柯勒尔（西南航空公司主席，创始人）

有思想的人不需要非有博士学位不可。

尊重一个人是因为他本人值得尊重，而不是因为他的头衔名号。

柯勒尔：我必须说，在我一生的成长道路上，母亲对我的影响最大。我知道，这样的回答听起来很平常，也许还有点庸俗，但对于我们家来说的确是这样。我们家在二次大战一开始时就被炸毁了，六口之家变成了两口，我母亲与我。

我从她那里学会了很多很多的东西。其中有一条忠告深深刻在我心里：尊重和信任一个人是因为他本人值得尊重和信任，而不是因为他的地位和官衔。因为官衔和地位常常不能反映一个人的真实价值。我很快就证明了这一点。因为在我们镇上有一位绅士，他是某家金融机构的负责人，他总是衣着整洁，给人一种高高在上的感觉，但不久便因贪污而被控告、判罪，送进了监狱。

由于她的忠告，我在企业界尽量做到不以貌取人，尽量做到坦诚待人。我对人们的思想很感兴趣。有思想的人不需要非有博士学位不可。应该坦开胸怀，倾听人们的意见，让他们知道你关心他们是因为他们本身，而不仅仅是因为他们是员工。有些人总是隔着你的肩膀看人，看看你背后是否还站着重要人物。而我想尽量做到的是：如果我与谁谈话，那么谈话时，这个人就是世界上唯一的人。人们应该得到这样的待遇。而且这些人通常十分有魅力。与Southwest公司人相聚是我事业生涯中最值得和最令人兴奋的事儿。

Respect people for who they are, not for what their titles are.

I’d say my mother made more of a difference to me than anyone else did. I know that’s a conventional and perhaps mundane answer, but my family was blown apart at the start of World War Two. We went from six to two people, my mother and myself.

There were so many things I learned from her. One piece of advice that always stuck in my mind is that people should be respected and trusted as people, not because of their position or title. Frequently, position or title did not reflect the true merits of a person. I got a lesson confirming that almost immediately, because there was a gentleman [in our town] who was the head of a financial institution. He was always dressed immaculately, and he gave the impression of being a very upstanding guy. Well, he was indicted, convicted, and sent to jail for embezzling.

Thanks to her advice, in the business world I try not to judge anyone by superficial standards. I try to approach them with an open mind. I’m very interested in their ideas. You don’t have to have a doctorate to have an idea. You ought to be open to listening to people. Show that you care about them as individuals, not just as workers. You know how some people are always looking over your shoulder to see if there’s somebody more important behind you? Well, one of the things that I’ve tried to do—if I’m talking to a person, that person is the only person in the world while we’re talking. They’re owed that. Besides, they’re usually fascinating. Getting together with the people of Southwest is one of the most rewarding and exciting things in my businesslife.

摘自《财富》——易激扬编译