The reader of any book, to judge its relevance and
validity, has the right to know the credentials of the writer as well as the sources and methods of obtaining the information
on which it is based.
Extensive
business and management consulting experience - For over 23 years Harry Nolan has worked in his own firm,
Management Advisory Services, Inc. (www.masinc.net), as a consultant to senior management on leadership issues. He serves as a strategist, sounding board, executive mentor
and the voice of employees and customers. Previously he was a marketing professional for 14 years on Madison Avenue and
in Atlanta.
During his career, he has worked with and observed many leaders in organizations of all sizes and geographic
scopes - from Procter & Gamble to entrepreneurial firms.
Membership in the extended Delta ‘family’
-
Atlanta
resident for 34 years
-
Spouse was a Delta manager for over 26 years prior
to accepting an offer from another firm (assuming Delta’s survival and the survival of its pension plan, she will be
eligible for a pension upon reaching retirement age)
-
Father-in-law (deceased) was regional administrator
for FAA and had high regard for Delta’s safety commitment and integrity
-
Extensive social interaction, including visiting
in their homes and playing golf together, with Delta employees and senior executives
-
Has met the 3 most recent CEO’s and
was neighbor of a 4th
-
Knows 6 of the current top officers and 2
board members
-
Knows a number of current Delta employees
-
Knows a number of former Delta employees and executives
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Reading company employee publications and other
employee communications for many years
-
Flying Delta many times domestically and
internationally, including Canada, Mexico,
Bermuda, Grand Cayman, St. Lucia, Paris and London
-
Member of the Delta Employees Credit Union
-
Stockholder
How the book was researched
Interviews
and conversations with 59 people – These ranged from several brief conversations to primarily in-depth confidential
interviews, many lasting two hours or more. There were some multiple interviews with the same person. All are members of the
‘Delta family’ in some way, including high mileage Medallion customers of many years:
-
Delta executives – current or former
-
Delta front-line employees – current or former
-
CEO’s
-
Senior Executives / Professionals
-
Executive Search Professionals
-
Friends / acquaintances of Delta people
Interviewees were asked the following questions:
-
What has been your personal experience with Delta?
-
What made Delta successful?
-
When did you notice this changing?
-
How did Delta get in the shape it is now?
-
What do you see for Delta’s future?
Please note that Mr. Allen’s and probably Mr.
Mullin’s termination agreements included a ‘mutual non-disparagement’ clause (meaning that neither side
could say anything but good about the other). I have been told that this clause was also in the termination agreements of
the senior executives who departed after Mullin. This increased the challenge of getting accurate and in-depth information,
but did not prevent it.
I was grateful to find how willing people were to
be interviewed; only three of those I asked declined, one due to their overwhelming schedule and two who felt they had nothing
to contribute. Many suggested others to interview and these were contacted. I could have interviewed at least 25 more people,
but decided to cut off at 59. I stopped there once the picture of what happened at Delta became clear, based on a consistency
of recollections and perceptions on major points among the interviewees.
My commitment to confidentiality led to an openness
from interviewees. I was glad to find that there were quite few instances where an interviewee appeared to “have an
axe to grind”. The result was both broad and also often very specific knowledge and insights into Delta supporting my
intent to be thorough, accurate and fair in this portrayal.
Review
of periodical articles – Dozens of periodical articles from numerous newspapers and magazines have been reviewed over a period of 25 years.
Review
of relevant web sites – Several dozen web sites have been reviewed, including Delta’s, competitive
airlines, news media, unions and blogs
Review of relevant business cases from major
universities
Review and analysis of financial and operating
data
-
Delta annual reports since the inception of the
company
-
U.S. Department of Transportation airline operating
and customer satisfaction statistics
-
Annual reports of competitive airlines
Read all previous books on Delta that could be
located – These included:
-
1979 – Delta: The History of an Airline
by Lewis and Newton published around Delta’s 50th
anniversary
-
1988 – Delta Air Lines: Debunking The
Myth written by Davis. A critical review of Delta by a
former executive
-
1990 – Delta: The Illustrated History
of a Major U.S. Airline and the People Who Made It. Delta history as told by extensive detail on the planes acquired and
the fleet with executives interspersed
-
1998 – Delta Air Lines by Jones. An
abbreviated history with extensive aircraft photos commissioned after the arrival of Leo Mullin in 1997
-
2003 – Delta Air Lines: 75 years Of Airline
Excellence by Jones. Written to commemorate Delta’s 75th anniversary
Reviewed
information from company archives – This includes annual reports, company employee publications, videotape,
and vintage aircraft.
