YIKES!! How about a little leadership?
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Most likely, you've heard or read (hopefully not experienced) the Christmas debacle brought to you by USAirways, in which 30 flights and thousands of mis-directed suitcases plagued the struggling airline on the second-busiest traveling weekend of the year.
Customers were angry. Airline employees were frustrated. Family members were left shaking their heads and waiting -- wondering, even -- when their family members or their belongings (and presents!) were going to arrive.
In steps Bruce Lakefield, CEO of USAir to offer his 2-cents on the situation, as reported in The Washington Post.
"I have seen lots of excuses for why people took it upon themselves to call in sick, such as low morale, poor management, anger over pay cuts and frustration with labor negotiations," Lakefield said in a memo to employees. "None of those excuses passes the test. We all have our jobs to do."
If I were a USAir employee and had just received that in my email inbox, I'm sure my moral, belief in management's wisdom and expertise, and general anger and frustration would have really improved.
So, I think that I know a little bit about how to work with people who are pissed off. I feel confident to say that Mr. Lakefield has a thing or two to learn about leadership. Like, lesson one: Don't do or say something stupid that will make a bad situation even worse.
And that one was on the house!
And, Happy New year.
Customers were angry. Airline employees were frustrated. Family members were left shaking their heads and waiting -- wondering, even -- when their family members or their belongings (and presents!) were going to arrive.
In steps Bruce Lakefield, CEO of USAir to offer his 2-cents on the situation, as reported in The Washington Post.
"I have seen lots of excuses for why people took it upon themselves to call in sick, such as low morale, poor management, anger over pay cuts and frustration with labor negotiations," Lakefield said in a memo to employees. "None of those excuses passes the test. We all have our jobs to do."
If I were a USAir employee and had just received that in my email inbox, I'm sure my moral, belief in management's wisdom and expertise, and general anger and frustration would have really improved.
So, I think that I know a little bit about how to work with people who are pissed off. I feel confident to say that Mr. Lakefield has a thing or two to learn about leadership. Like, lesson one: Don't do or say something stupid that will make a bad situation even worse.
And that one was on the house!
And, Happy New year.
