Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines since 2016, speaks with our North America Chair and senior partner Eric Kutcher. After 25 years at Delta, including nearly a decade as CEO, Ed reflects on his journey leading the world’s largest airline by revenue—and America’s most recognized carrier, with more than 100,000 employees. The industry was hit hard by the pandemic, and he shares insights on what it takes to get through turbulent times, and keeping his people happy and invested in the company’s success. Ed also talks about leading with the vulnerability to say, “I don’t know,” and the confidence to say, “We’re going to figure it out”.

We recorded their conversation before a live client audience at our Global Strategy Summit in September 2025

Related Insights 

A CEO For All Seasons: Mastering the Cycles of Leadership

The Josh Harris playbook: building cultures of excellence in business and sports 

CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest
The Strategic CEO newsletter
Doug Parker, former chairman and CEO of American Airlines, shares leadership lessons
John Stankey talks about leaning into the long term at AT&T

<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/edbastian">Ed Bastian,</a> CEO of <a href="https://www.delta.com/">Delta Air Lines</a> since 2016, speaks with our North America Chair and senior partner <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/erickutcher">Eric Kutcher</a>. After 25 years at Delta, including nearly a decade as CEO, Ed reflects on his journey leading the world&rsquo;s largest airline by revenue&mdash;and America&rsquo;s most recognized carrier, with more than 100,000 employees. The industry was hit hard by the pandemic, and he shares insights on what it takes to get through turbulent times, and keeping his people happy and invested in the company&rsquo;s success. Ed also talks about leading with the vulnerability to say, &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know,&rdquo; and the confidence to say, &ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to figure it out&rdquo;.
We recorded their conversation before a live client audience at our Global Strategy Summit in September 2025
<hr>
Related Insights&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-on-books/ceo-for-all-seasons">A CEO For All Seasons: Mastering the Cycles of Leadership</a>
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/inside-the-strategy-room/265-the-josh-harris-playbook-building-cultures-of-excellence-in-business-and-sports">The Josh Harris playbook: building cultures of excellence in business and sports&nbsp;</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-on-books/ceo-excellence">CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/the-strategic-ceo-7236955032997216256/">The Strategic CEO newsletter</a> <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/doug-parker-former-chairman-and-ceo-of-american-airlines-shares-leadership-lessons">Doug Parker, former chairman and CEO of American Airlines, shares leadership lessons</a> <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/john-stankey-talks-about-leaning-into-the-long-term-at-at-and-t">John Stankey talks about leaning into the long term at AT&amp;T</a>

We talk with McKinsey partners and corporate executives on the challenges they face creating lasting strategies in a fast-changing world. We also examine the different ways these executives approach these challenges and the new and innovative ways they think of creating a vision for their enterprises.

What does it take to survive in a world of constant change? More than ever, enterprises need to create strategies that can meet current needs but also adapt to future demand. A regular series of interviews with McKinsey partners and corporate executives.

Inside the Strategy Room

The world is moving faster, and as upheaval becomes the norm, vast business opportunities will be within the grasp of the extraordinary few.  But it takes bold people and courageous approaches to seize those opportunities and create value.

In each episode of our weekly podcast, we interview the world’s highest-performing CEOs, CFOs, innovators, and McKinsey experts and discuss how they build the courage, clarity, conviction, and cohesion that allow their businesses to win by moving faster than the world around them. 

The world is moving faster, and as upheaval becomes the norm, vast business opportunities will be within the grasp of the extraordinary few. &nbsp;But it takes bold people and courageous approaches to seize those opportunities and create value.
In each episode of our weekly podcast, we interview the world&rsquo;s highest-performing CEOs, CFOs, innovators, and McKinsey experts and discuss how they build the courage, clarity, conviction, and cohesion that allow their businesses to win by moving faster than the world around them.&nbsp;

Advertisement