Elevate with Robert Glazer Elevate Classics: Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines and 2023 CEO of the Year
Oct 28, 2025
Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines and 2023 Chief Executive of the Year, shares insights from his extensive leadership journey. He discusses how growing up in a large family shaped his focus on people, and recounts pivotal lessons from his early career at Pricewaterhouse and PepsiCo. Ed reflects on leading Delta through the aftermath of 9/11 and the COVID-19 crisis, emphasizing a people-first approach and the importance of transparency. He also highlights the value of empowering frontline employees and how customer loyalty impacted Delta during turbulent times.
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Early Family Roots Shaped Leadership
- Ed Bastian grew up as the oldest of nine in a small house with his parents' dental practice and grandmother living with them.
- He says that upbringing taught him survival skills, responsibility, and a love of being around people.
Career Pivot From Accounting To Airlines
- Ed left a partnership at Pricewaterhouse and joined Pepsi to learn management before moving into airlines.
- He joined Delta at around age 40 and found running an airline far more complex than flying in one.
Crises Reveal Character, Not Create It
- Crises reveal whether an organization has character, they don't build it from scratch.
- Leaders who stay close to front-line people and culture are better positioned to navigate shocks like 9-11.