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The Smaller, But Important Paragraph

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Source: Archived Content

Date: Sep 03, 2002

Well, well, well...we finally got a new CEO.  In United's press release dated Sept 2, they mentioned that Tilton’s priorities are to:

  • Restore Employee Trust and Customer and Investor Confidence
  • Address Near-Term Financial Issues
  • Develop Long-Term Plan for Renewed Growth.

That's good, although item #1 about Employee Trust will be his biggest challenge.  We all wish him luck and welcome him to United Airlines.  He has no airline management experience, which I believe is a asset in this rare case.

Now...about a smaller but important paragraph in the same press release:

The company also announced that Rono Dutta, President, and Andrew P. Studdert, Chief Operating Officer, are also stepping down from their positions to afford Mr. Tilton wider latitude to fill these key positions on the senior management team. Their responsibilities will be assumed, for the time being, by other executives of the company.

This is also a significant and very positive change and I don't understand why it didn't garner larger headlines.  Embarrassment maybe?

Regardless, it is a good thing that the CEO position was not filled with someone who was in senior management during the past few years---particularly Dutta.  We desperately needed a fresh face to come in with an ability to use an outside, objective viewpoint.  This will help prevent us from making the same 1998-2001 corporate missteps in the future.

Can employee trust in management at United be restored?  Yes, I believe it can.  It will take a very long time and must be earned through action---not NewsReal fluff.  United's leaders need to be very careful in what they say or do in these crucial coming months.  A lot is at stake here.

I can tell you this much:  employee trust sure as hell won't happen without a lot of honesty, accountability, and common sense on the part of United's leaders.  That, and a sincere apology for what they've been putting us through for these past few years.

And that's an absolute minimum.

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