When Oscar Munoz took over as CEO, United faced a stalled merger, low customer satisfaction, and poor employee morale. Within five years, he transformed it into a top-performing airline by focusing on employee trust and teamwork—a strategy that built loyalty from the ground up.
A cornerstone of Munoz’s leadership philosophy is expanding what he calls a team’s “discretionary effort”—the willingness of employees to go above and beyond their job descriptions.
“There are 10% of the people that are so supportive,” Munoz said on the podcast. “But there’s another 10% who are so negative. The 80% in the middle… are going to join the side that is winning.” His secret? Focus on adding to that 10% who are positive, inspiring them to lead the rest of the team in the right direction.
Munoz also shared lessons from his experiences as a marathon runner and triathlete, comparing moments of exhaustion—what athletes call “hitting the wall”—to challenges leaders face. “You have to know it’s coming, and you have to know it’s going to pass, and you have to keep busting through it,” Munoz explained. Just as athletes train to push through their limits, leaders can prepare their teams to exceed expectations, delaying or even preventing those “hitting a wall” moments.
In this episode, Munoz also shared insights on:
Munoz also reflected on how playing football shaped his resilience, especially during his recovery from a life-threatening heart attack while leading United. “Without sports, without training, without that competitive angle, it’s just such a prominent driver of all of us,” he said. Sports taught him the value of discipline, teamwork, and maintaining a competitive drive, lessons that have influenced his leadership at every level.
"Don is one of the best storytellers I’ve ever met. I’ve known him for a long time and every time we talk I walk away wiser and more inspired. He is the best in the business at teaching you a skill – storytelling – that will last you a lifetime.”
“The ability for athletes to get hired is carried on through you because you are putting out the message that lessons learned from sports are important in life. It is embedded in this podcast, what you’re doing is significant.”
We speak the same language. I am inspired by the stories you tell, the people you have met, and the things you’ve done. Those of us that are competitors like to follow others that have been down that journey, so it is always fun talking to you!”
“Many of the leaders I have worked with were excellent athletes, and I think there is a direct correlation. You’re one of the few people that really has pursued this study, Don. Keep up the great work. What you are doing really makes a difference.”
“Don, you have mastered the skill of interviewing and asking great questions. That is a great skill all leaders need in order to understand their team members’ thought processes.”
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