What Type Of Person Thrives In The Airline Industry According To A Performance And Planning Manager At A Global Airline
Aviation professionals who thrive are "curious" and "teamwork oriented," navigating the industry's complex operations through effective communication. Success also hinges on "analytical ability"—the capacity to interpret data and "tell a story" with numbers, though specialized skills like coding or advanced Excel expertise are not required.
Teamwork, Analytical Skills, Curiosity, Communication, Data Interpretation
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Alex Olafsson
Manager, Performance and Planning
Global Airline Company
Kalamazoo College 2011
UCLA Anderson MBA
Economics
Aerospace, Aviation & Defense
Business Strategy
Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Curiosity and a willingness to innovate are essential for success in the airline industry, which operates on tight margins and requires constant adaptation.
2. Strong teamwork and communication skills are crucial, as airlines are complex operations with many moving parts.
3. Analytical abilities are important for interpreting data and telling stories with numbers, though specialized skills like coding or advanced Excel expertise are not always necessary.
Transcript
How would you describe people who typically thrive in this industry?
I think people who arrive in aviation are curious. It's an innovative industry with low margins, which forces us to do a lot with very little.
You really need to be curious and teamwork-oriented. Airlines are incredibly complex operations with many moving pieces. We need to communicate effectively and work as a team for success.
There's also a curiosity piece and a teamwork piece. It helps to have some analytical ability. You don't need to code, know SQL, or be an Excel expert.
However, you do need to be able to look at numbers and interpret them. This idea of telling a story with numbers or seeing a story through data is really important. You don't have to be a mathematician, but being able to grasp figures and understand how they relate to your work is crucial.