18/07/2025
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In the middle of Japanโs 2009 financial crisis, Japan Airlines CEO Haruka Nishimatsu made a decision few executives would even consider he cut his own salary to $90,000, less than what his pilots earned, in order to avoid laying off employees. While other corporate leaders clung to bonuses and private perks, Nishimatsu gave up the comforts of corner-office leadership and stepped into the trenches with his staff. He chose people over profit, proving that real leadership is measured in sacrifice, not salary.
Nishimatsu rejected luxury entirely. He took public transportation to work, lined up in the cafeteria like everyone else, and sat in a modest office without walls. He didnโt hide behind policy memos or executive distance he worked side by side with his team, earning their respect not through authority, but through empathy and action. During one of Japan Airlinesโ toughest periods, his approach became a quiet beacon of solidarity and dignity in corporate culture.
His story became a global example of values-driven leadership, inspiring others to rethink what it means to lead during hardship. When companies are quick to cut staff while protecting top-tier compensation, Nishimatsu's choice reminds us that leadership isnโt just about tough decisions itโs about making the right ones for the people who keep your mission alive.
Source: CBS News (2009), Japan Airlines Reports, Harvard Business Review Leadership Case Files
