From Worst to First: Behind the Scenes of Continental's Remarkable Comeback

Chapter 6. Working Together, or Which Part of This Watch Don't You Think We Need?

In early 1995, as part of Continental's efforts to make sure our employees knew that finally their voices were being heard, we took our show on the road. We expanded the open houses we were holding in the Houston headquarters. We started holding employee meetings twice a year all over our system—mostly in our hubs. The point was that we wanted it to be easy for any employees to get to top management and ask any questions that were on their minds. Things were going better for us—a lot better. But as things changed, we wanted employees to stay comfortable. We wanted to make sure they had the chance to ask questions directly of me, of Greg, and of other big shots.

At one of those meetings, in Newark, I asked the most important question I have ever asked my employees, and I still ask it every day. I was telling them a little about the $65 bonuses they had started to receive. They were thrilled, of course, but people being people, they had some questions.

One employee stood up and asked a tough question.

He could see why the pilots would get on-time bonuses. He could see why the gate agents and flight crew would get the bonus. He could see where the baggage handlers would come into the picture, and maybe even where schedulers and mechanics fit in. But why, he wanted to know, did people like reservations agents— the people who answered those phones I was telling you about in the preceding chapter—get bonuses? ...