With 7 Short Words, the CEO of United Airlines Just Taught a Brilliant Lesson in Leadership

Promise only works if it’s credible.

EXPERT OPINION BY BILL MURPHY JR., FOUNDER OF UNDERSTANDABLY AND CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, INC. @BILLMURPHYJR

Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines. Photo: Getty Images

One advantage of writing about airlines and business for a long time is perspective.

I’ve been covering United Airlines since before the pandemic, which means I’ve been able to watch how CEO Scott Kirby responds when things get difficult.

Back then, I was struck by how Kirby often sounded different from some of his competitors—most notably Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian. I’m not going to say one was wrong and one was right, but they were different:

Kirby’s approach was straightforward: describe the situation as it is, even if that meant sounding more cautious than others.

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Bastian, by contrast, more often emphasized recovery and optimism.

If you’ve followed United for a while, this will sound familiar.

During Covid, Kirby framed the situation in blunt terms, even reaching for a Churchill quote to describe the uncertainty.

A year later, he talked about demand returning—but only after laying out the reasons it might not.

He has also been willing to move ahead of competitors, including on vaccines.

Now there’s another test: war in Iran, sharply higher fuel prices, and a real cost shock for the industry.

Kirby addressed it all in a message to employees that was also released publicly. Here’s part of what he told employees will and won’t happen:

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