Congratulations to the great employees at Delta Air Lines on the day they receive a record $1.1 billion profit sharing payout. We’re going to take a few minutes off from award charts and devaluations to talk about the good side of running a profitable business and sharing success. $1.1 billion is an incredible number, and a record for an airline. Here in Georgia, that’s a $450 million injection into the state’s economy.

My purely personal ex-airline guy opinion is that profit sharing is an important motivator that helps marry self-interest and the success of a corporation. It’s not a small deal. This payout in particular, which according to Delta, amounts to over 16 percent of employee pay is an incredible incentive and reward for the hard work of Delta people. Well deserved because the frontline folks I interact with are a cut above the rest.

-MJ, February 13, 2015