Oscar Munoz, CEO, United: How I Broke a 5 Year Union Stalemate and Why I Hired my Successor (Pt 2) episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 15, 2026 · 34 MIN

Oscar Munoz, CEO, United: How I Broke a 5 Year Union Stalemate and Why I Hired my Successor (Pt 2)

from Stumbling Blocks: How Great Leaders Are Made · host Jonathan Block

When Oscar Munoz stepped in as CEO of United Airlines, he didn't head for the executive suite. He headed for a Houston hangar at 2:00 AM to jump on a picnic table and listen to 500 angry aircraft mechanics.In part two of this deep-dive conversation, Oscar reveals why he threw out the "business school rule book" to save an airline with a broken spirit. We discuss:The Power of the Listening Tour: Why he told Wall Street "I don't know" and went to talk to the people who handle the bags, pour the coffee, and fly the planes.The 3 Ds: How he diagnosed a culture that was disenfranchised, disillusioned, and disengaged. And what he did about it.Hiring Your Rival: The calculated risk of bringing in Scott Kirby from American Airlines and why true leaders start planning their exit on their first day.The Sara Nelson Breakthrough: How a story about a $500 check and a "Siberian" meeting room ended a five-year union stalemate in just 10 weeks.Oscar concludes with a challenge for every leader: the "Common Denominator" math equation that forces each of us to take a hard look in the mirror.Oscar's Book: Turnaround Timehttps://www.amazon.com/Turnaround-Time-Uniting-Employees-Friendly/dp/0063284286#Leadership #Culture #UnitedAirlines #CEO #Transparency #Trust #Listening #EmployeeRelations #Union #ChangeManagement #Turnaround

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Oscar Munoz, CEO, United: How I Broke a 5 Year Union Stalemate and Why I Hired my Successor (Pt 2)

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