Jan Carlzon Quotes

A collection of quotes by Jan Carlzon.

Jan Carlzon is a renowned Swedish business leader known for his transformative leadership as the CEO of Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) during the late 1980s. Born on June 25, 1941, in Nyhammar, Sweden, Carlzon graduated with a master's degree in economics from Stockholm University.

Carlzon began his career in sales at Vingresor, a Swedish travel agency, before joining Swedish Airways in 1967. In 1974, he became the CEO of Vingresor, where he implemented customer-centric strategies, ultimately leading to the company becoming Scandinavia's largest tour operator.

However, it was his tenure as the CEO of SAS from 1981 to 1994 that truly established Carlzon as a visionary leader. Facing financial crisis and employee dissatisfaction, Carlzon orchestrated a remarkable turnaround by implementing his customer-oriented business philosophy. He introduced the concept of "moments of truth" and aimed to instill a culture of servicing customers' needs at every interaction. This revamp resulted in an exceptional rise in SAS's profitability and reputation.

Carlzon's management philosophy, focusing on empowering employees and prioritizing customer satisfaction, earned him global recognition. His book, "Moments of Truth," published in 1987, became an international bestseller and is considered a seminal work on customer service and leadership.

Post his SAS tenure, Carlzon embarked on a successful career as a consultant, author, and lecturer. He has offered his expertise to numerous organizations worldwide and has held positions at prominent businesses and academic institutions. His impact on the business world remains enduring, making him an influential figure in organizational leadership.

I learned that, before you reach an objective, you must be r

I learned that, before you reach an objective, you must be ready with a new one, and you must start to communicate it to the organization. But it is not the goal itself that is important.

Jan Carlzon

Goals

Problems are solved on the spot, as soon as they arise. No f

Problems are solved on the spot, as soon as they arise. No front-line employee has to wait for a supervisor's permission.

Jan Carlzon

Problems

An individual without information can't take responsibility.

An individual without information can't take responsibility. An individual with information can't help but take responsibility.

Jan Carlzon

Responsibility