He was known for antics that would be considered corny by traditional managers. Danforth, Walton, and all other successful leaders are customer-focused and are able to transfer that customer focus to their employees. If a company wants the employees to treat the customer well, then it must do the same for its employees. There are two ways of exerting one's strength, said Booker T. Washington. One is pushing down, the other is pulling up.
Managers push down, leaders pull up.
A good example of this principle in action is seen at Southwest Airlines. Southwest ranked among the top ten in the book , The Top 100 Companies to Work For. They were the first airline to receive the Triple Crown Award from the Department of Transportation's air travel division. They ranked first in on-time arrivals, fewest number of baggage complaints, and overall customer satisfaction. CEO Herb Kelleher has created a culture that is enjoyable for the employees, or the internal customers, and consequently the employees create a culture that is enjoyable for the external customers.