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sistent, timely fashion with all parties, especially with custom-
2
ers. Following the blizzard fiasco, customers lost trust in
JetBlue, and the airline’s stock plummeted. Trust is easy to
lose but hard to regain—and communication is the linchpin.

LEADING THE WAY

Leadership has nothing to do with rank or position. It’s about
action, respect, and influence. Regardless of your position, be
the one to lead the way with communication standards.
The following additional action steps will help catapult
your communications efforts:

• Have a mass briefing at least once a month. Gather
your wingmen and communicate the latest trends, organiza-
tional goals, safety updates, customer initiatives, and any
other important developments. Keep everyone in the know,
not in the dark. Your wingmen need to hear important news—
good or bad—from you first.

• Conduct feedback sessions on a consistent basis. Many
leaders conduct an “out briefing” with employees or vendors
they are letting go. Leadership consultant Kristi Petersen sug-
gests conducting a “stay briefing.” Sit down with your
coworkers, vendors, and partners and let them know how
they are doing. Are they meeting your expectations? If not, let
them know as soon as possible. Be detailed, devise an action
plan, and set a timeline for results. Ask your wingmen about

2. Patrick J. Lyons, “A Snowshocked JetBlue Hits the Cancel Button,” The Lede,
March 16, 2007, http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/03/16/ a-snowshocked-jet
-blue-hits-the-cancel-button.