Episode 32: People-Forward by Design: The Operating System for Exceptional Performance at Delta Airlines with Carla Jeter
“When we come together, if we respect the expertise of our people, we tend to have a well-executed project.” ~Carla Jeter
Delta Airlines is consistently recognized for excellence in everything from passenger experience to customer service, operational performance to workplace culture. Exceptional performance doesn’t come from slogans, it comes from an operating system leaders build on purpose: trust, clear decision rights, learning loops, and recognition that reinforces the behaviors you want. In this episode, Dr. Carol Parker Walsh sits down with Carla Jeter, Senior Manager of Brand Experience at Delta Airlines, to explore what it takes to translate strategy into frontline execution in complex operational environments.
Carla shares her leadership journey, from electrical engineering at Motorola, through international revenue management, and into brand experience, and the consistent thread: designing systems where people feel trusted, equipped, and connected to purpose. She also unpacks how trust is built through proximity and respect for expertise (including becoming flight-attendant qualified to deepen credibility), how leaders balance being people-first with real accountability, and why Delta’s “Listen, Act, Listen” model works because it’s a continuous loop, not a one-time survey. This people-first focus comes from the founder’s words: Everything we do can be duplicated, but what can't be duplicated is our people. Our people are everything to Delta. The result: teams that can deliver at a high level, even under pressure.
Carla Jeter is a Senior Manager of Brand Experience at Delta Air Lines, where she
leads people-forward brand strategy initiatives designed to improve frontline employee
experience and strengthen customer outcomes in complex operational environments.
Her work focuses on translating strategy into execution—building trust, elevating
employee ownership, and creating the systems and rituals that help teams deliver at a
Carla holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Tennessee State
University and an MBA with an emphasis in Marketing from Clark Atlanta University.
She began her career as an electrical engineer at Motorola, then joined Delta Air Lines
as part of the International Revenue Management team. In that role, she helped
develop strategies that maximized revenue performance across international
routes—experience that continues to shape her lens on enterprise decision-making,
trade-offs, and execution.
Today, Carla’s team develops tools, experiences, and initiatives that support frontline
employees while driving brand consistency and customer enhancements. She is a
strong proponent of building sustainable communities and volunteers with programs
focused on food distribution and community support.
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