Robin Mead is the director of operations analytics at Delta Air Lines. She is responsible for supporting the broader OA division seeking to improve Delta’s performance through data-focused analysis and decision making from a matrixed perspective.

Mead is also a Women Leading Travel & Hospitality member! In this member spotlight, we asked her a series of questions about her work, leadership philosophies, and more so you can get to know her better.

  1. What’s the best book you’ve read recently?
    While I can’t choose just one, I’ve recently been reading more autobiographies. It is so interesting to get a glimpse inside the mind of a person and learn what makes them successful.
  2. What do you love most about the industry?
    I have been exploring the world since I was a 15-year-old girl and traveled to Germany to be an exchange student. This industry fuels my curiosity and allows me to incorporate my interests into the work I do every day.
  3. What is something the community may be surprised to learn about you?
    I am an ambivert. I enjoy others but I definitely do need time alone.
  4. What’s the toughest part of being in charge?
    Difficult conversations to address gaps in performance are definitely the hardest part of being in charge, but I always make sure to approach them with the question, “Will I be satisfied with how I handled this a few years from now?” Knowing that constructive feedback can help a person succeed and holding back on it is doing them a disservice makes those conversations a lot more manageable.
  5. What’s the best way you motivate team members?
    I think it is important to understand what motivates each team member individually. Some may be motivated by recognition, others by a certain type of task, etc. Getting to know your team and understanding their nuances can be beneficial in maintaining that drive for performance.
  6. What woman inspires you right now and why?
    Right now I’m inspired by our chief experience officer at Delta, Allison Ausband. I’ve had the privilege of exposure to her in a few different roles over the past ten years and it’s amazing to see how she’s stepped up to lead the organization. Her scope of responsibility is enormous and she handles it very elegantly.
  7. Where do you believe the future of the industry is headed?
    I see a lot more personalization and focus on the individual customer experience as one of the key areas of development in our industry.
  8. What is one thing you look for when interviewing a potential candidate?
    I’m always interested in a person’s curiosity. That desire to ask questions and continually seek answers is what makes a high performer stand out to me.
  9. What’s something that you learned about yourself in the past year?
    Over the past year I’ve learned that it’s okay to get out of my comfort zone. I can use the experience and credibility that I’ve built up throughout my career even if it means applying it to a new area or focus. Knowing that I have a foundation to carry me into something unfamiliar has allowed me to take advantage of and really embrace learning new things.
  10. What’s your favorite podcast?
    I actually regularly listen to a podcast that has nothing to do with my work. “Gymcastic” is a podcast about elite and college gymnastics — gymnastics is one of my hobbies. Related to work, I enjoyed the three-part series on Freakonomics Radio podcast that dove into the airline industry and featured Ed Bastian and a few other Delta colleagues.
  11. What values are most important to you as a leader?
    Humility and servant leadership are incredibly important to me.
  12. What’s the most important thing people should know about you?
    I’m a mom of two: Lucia (16) and Milo (14).
  13. Do you prefer to work in the office, at home, or hybrid?
    I prefer to work in the office to stay connected with my colleagues, but I do appreciate the occasional work-from-home day in order to knock out a bunch of tasks without interruption.
  14. Where is your favorite place you’ve traveled to?
    I’ve traveled to over 60 countries and lived in seven, so there are several places that have a piece of my heart.  I’d say one of my more memorable trips was to Morocco a few years ago.
  15. What is a top item on your bucket list?
    I really want to get to the Taj Mahal and the Dead Sea sometime soon.  Apart from those, a visit to Antarctica is on my three-year plan.
  16. What do you do to recharge?
    I love to work out and then soak in a hot tub.
  17. What is your biggest accomplishment?
    I was on an expat assignment with my two children in France when the pandemic hit. I’d say navigating an abrupt end to our time overseas, repatriation, and sustained uncertainty in my industry/workplace during that time is my biggest accomplishment. I feel very comfortable with where we ended up and I’m still grateful for that opportunity.
  18. What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
    Your path may not always be straight. If you have a goal in mind, there may be a few times you have to pivot along the way in order to achieve your desired outcome. There’s nothing wrong with that. You’re bound to learn something along the way.
  19. What gets you up in the morning?
    I literally have two cups of coffee before even getting out of bed in the morning. In terms of work, I’d say it’s the drive to do better today than I did yesterday.
  20. What do you like most about being a member of Women Leading Travel & Hospitality?
    I love the community of women with similar, yet diverse, interests.

If you would like to become a Women Leading Travel & Hospitality member or need additional information about our organization, click here.