United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby: ‘Is Your Team Spending Enough Time Together?’

Growing up in a small town outside of Dallas, Scott Kirby spent countless hours playing sports—not just on organized teams but in the neighborhood with friends. Whether it was baseball in the summer, football in the winter or basketball in someone’s driveway, those unstructured games left a lasting impression on him. 

“Actually, some of my favorite athletic memories were in our front yard,” Kirby recalled. “Playing sports forces you to count on others and have others count on you.”

Now leading a workforce of 100,000 employees, Kirby brings those lessons to his role as CEO. He emphasizes the importance of teamwork and maintaining authentic connections with his coworkers. To stay actively engaged, Kirby limits his formal meetings to just 20 hours per week, carving out time to connect directly with United employees and gather their advice and input.

“I’m probably one of the only CEOs that has no more than 20 hours of meetings on the calendar per week,” Kirby explained on the podcast. “What I do the rest of the time is either I read or I’m on the phone with people. I’m constantly calling and talking to people to learn and hear what’s going on.”

Kirby added that these informal interactions help him gain invaluable insights and a clearer picture of the company. By doing this, he ensures he is not only managing his team, but leading it.

In this episode, Kirby also shares lessons from his 30-plus years in the aviation industry, where he has held leadership roles at United, America West, US Airways and American Airlines. Highlights include:

• Building trust through transparency: Kirby has introduced innovative methods like his “Straight from Scott” videos, where he addresses customer concerns directly to foster openness and accountability.

• The power of momentum and continuous improvement: Kirby believes great leadership is about consistently moving forward and making small, impactful changes over time.

• The lifelong value of teamwork: Reflecting on his childhood and professional journey, Kirby emphasizes the importance of knowing how to count on others and being someone others can rely on.