The Power of What's Right

In 2003, the airline I worked for, the fifth largest U.S. airline, faced a challenge with meeting critical turn-times—the 30-minute window to unload, reload, and prep aircraft for the next flight. Our airline’s recent change in ground servicing vendors was causing delays, but pinpointing the exact issue had proven difficult. We held meeting after meeting, but no clear solutions emerged.

Determined to find the culprit, I took a camera crew to film our servicing process and compare it with a competitor's turnaround procedures. Within the first ten minutes, the issue was glaringly obvious: on the competitor's ramp, bags and passengers began unloading within seconds after the engines shut down. For us, however, it was taking a full eight minutes before the unloading even started.

I quickly edited the footage, convinced that I’d struck gold. Excited to share the findings, I presented the video to our Vice President of Flight Operations (VP), eager to implement an immediate solution. To my surprise, the VP advised me to hold off. He took the video, saying he would handle it, but asked me to refrain from sharing it with anyone else. I was anxious but agreed.

A week later, during a company performance meeting, the Managing Director of Ground Services and Baggage (MD) showed the video and presented a plan of action for improvement. Unbeknownst to me, the VP had privately shared the footage with the MD, who had then consulted her LEAN team—experts in process optimization—to identify and implement a sustainable fix. The MD took ownership of the solution, presenting it as her initiative with her team backing the plan. And it worked.

For me, the lesson was profound: rather than rushing to reveal the issue and unintentionally undermining the MD, the VP allowed her to save face—a principle the Japanese call “Tatemae.” Not only was the problem solved, but our ground service MD emerged empowered, having presented her own strategic fix. Through this process, our VP demonstrated that effective leadership is about “what’s right,” not “who’s right.”

This approach left a lasting impact on me. My initial impulse was to jump in and take credit. But through this experience, I understood the wisdom of focusing on a collective goal over personal recognition. Our VP subtly introduced a “W.I.T. vs. W.A.M.” mindset— “Whatever It Takes” over “What About Me.” It was about achieving results by empowering the right people to take charge.

As leaders, our role is to ensure team engagement and foster an environment of trust and collaboration. Sometimes, that means stepping back to allow others to shine. The VP’s approach fostered a culture where taking risks, learning from mistakes, and speaking openly were encouraged—all while moving us toward our common goal. In the end, it wasn’t about who spotted the issue but about enabling the MD and her team to implement a solution that made us better as a whole.

In leadership, the W.I.T. mentality can drive teams toward innovative solutions, sustaining motivation and trust across all levels.

How are you building a team culture where positive, purposeful, and productive conversations can occur without fear or shame, where "we" is greater than "me"?

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Dennis Mellen, Full Throttle Leadership

Speaker, author, coach!