Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau Just Lost His Job for a Failure of Emotional Intelligence

A 4-minute condolence video ended a 19-year career.

EXPERT OPINION BY MINDA ZETLIN, AUTHOR OF 'CAREER SELF-CARE: FIND YOUR HAPPINESS, SUCCESS, AND FULFILLMENT AT WORK' @MINDAZETLIN

Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau. Illustration: Inc; Photo: Air Canada

Air Canada announced Monday that its CEO Michael Rousseau will step down. The reason may be a four-minute video he hastily released last week. Rousseau expressed condolences after a fatal collision between Air Canada Express flight 8646 and a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport in New York City. Rousseau is 68, and the airline says he will retire this year.

That sounds better than saying he angered every legislator in his company’s home province, as well as Canada’s prime minister. But that’s what he did. And though he is retiring........

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