The Botwinick Prize was established in 1989 by Benjamin '26 and Bessie Botwinick as a way to celebrate business leaders who exemplify the highest standard of professional and ethical conduct and decision-making across an array of industries.
During a conversation with Modupe Akinola, the Barbara and David Zalaznick Professor of Business and Bernstein Faculty Director at CBS, Bastian credited Delta's success to the company's hands-on leadership style that gives employees insight into the company's strategy from the top down. Notably, Bastian keeps his email address public and unchanged, inviting both employees and customers to reach out with concerns.
“I want to know what's going on. I want our people, I want our customers. I want our community to be able to reach me,” Bastian said. “Culture then starts to revolve around that knowledge and that sense of accessibility and visibility from the top down,” he added.
Bastian also touched on how he led Delta's response following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020. Later that year, after encouraging fellow CEOs to join, he committed Delta to the OneTen initiative, which aims to advance Black talent by hiring and training 1 million Black Americans with nontraditional backgrounds over the next decade. Bastian highlighted how Delta had altered its hiring specifications to attract such talented prospects by removing barriers to entry, such as four-year degree requirements.
While Bastian noted that a leader's “values are everything,” he stressed the importance of tomorrow's business leaders simply “enjoying the experience” above all. “There's a famous saying that leadership can be lonely or that it's lonely at the top. If you're lonely at the top, you're a bad leader.” Bastian said. “Do something that matters, something that you care about. Do it with others that you love, and you'll have a wonderful career wherever your path takes you.”
