US Airways town hall encourages brutal honesty

Does your CEO have the guts to take a battering from employees? US Airways CEO Douglas Parker allows workers to complain regularly to their top executive during town hall meetings

It’s not often a story about internal communications makes the front page of The New York Times. But two weeks ago, the nation’s premier newspaper reported on a town hall meeting at US Airways that featured its CEO taking a beating from employees—and what’s more, encouraging it.

“Doug, I watched you on CNBC today,” complained one worker. “And I hate to tell you but the interiors of our planes smell bad and they are filthy … when are you going to quit talking and do something about it.”

While Ragan.com editors stood up and cheered Parker for his willingness to take it on the chin from employees—an example of candor that is extremely rare in corporate America—the head of communications at the airline saw it differently.

“Not an ounce of credit”