Do you work in your business, or on your business?
Scott Kirby, chief executive officer at United Airlines Holdings Inc., speaks during an unveiling event at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in Newark, New Jersey, US, on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026. United Airlines Holdings Inc. will add 10 destinations in Europe and Asia to its network next year, deploying Airbus SEs new long-range narrow-body planes to help cash in on demand from Americans looking overseas for leisure. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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One of the most poignant things anyone ever said to me as a business owner is that you want to work on your business, not in your business.
You want to do the big things that give your business a chance to innovate, to grow, to serve customers, to build something and leave a mark. That’s working on your business.
But then, the day to day takes over — the immediate challenges, the questions that need answers, the payroll that needs to be met, and 85 zillion other things that require your attention.
That’s working in your business.
Refreshed leadership advice from CEO Stephanie Mehta
Of course, you have to do some of the “in” or you’ll never have a chance to do the “on.” It’s just that sometimes, the day to day becomes a trap, and you never get to step out and think about or work on the bigger picture.
Which brings us to the CEO of United Airlines, Scott Kirby.
5 decisions a year
In an interview that ran over the weekend in the New York Times (gift link), Kirby had a lot to say about artificial intelligence, about how he took being denied the CEO role at American Airlines and used it to become a better CEO at United, and why he thinks it’s fair to charge passengers more not to sit in a middle seat.