Embracing and Exploiting Industry Turbulence: The Strategic Transformation of Aer Lingus

Turbulence has become a constant, with an oxymoronic “predictable unpredictability” nature. What does this mean for enterprising, visionary chief executive officers (CEOs)? Turbulent industries presage that CEOs need to react ever faster and more creatively to take opportunity of the risk to which their competitors are exposed. The Aer Lingus case demonstrates that the need for effective, path creating leadership in corporations has never been greater. The airline’s needs enabled the expansion of its leadership capacity by developing opportunistic vision, versatility and connectivity. Leaders can start to embrace turbulence and release value by moving along the cost-service continuum as a process to improve productivity and regain market momentum.