More than 35 participants from 10 different companies gathered at HMH in Houston last week for the Core Leadership Skills for New & Upcoming Managers program. Attendees in early-stage management positions with roles such as Production Supervisor, Operations Manager, Service Supervisor and Engineer Technician, learned about tools, resources and strategies to help develop and refine leadership skills within their roles.
The session was sponsored by Strategic Partners Chevron and SLB.
The Program, facilitated by Doug Orr and Laura Gironda, Heidrick & Struggles, is a two-day seminar designed to transform managers from individual contributors into effective leaders.
Over the 2 days, participants learned about their leadership styles, how to be situationally agile, and explored the lasting impact of an effective leader.
During the program kick-off the facilitators surveyed the group asking what they would most like to get out of the program. Common themes were how to grow as a leader, improve abilities to lead a team and enhance communication skills.
Participants were asked to complete a personality assessment in advance of the program which allowed them to dig down into understanding their own personalities as well as understand other’s personality traits. The value of this self-reflection tool was noted during the session by one of the participants. “This has made me realize I may not be giving the best of myself to my team.”
During the seminar, participants broke into groups for an exercise focused on how we treat others on our teams, regardless of role, title, or experience. The discussion highlighted that an individual’s attitude, performance, and overall engagement can be significantly shaped by the way they are treated day to day.
The groups also explored the importance of accountability and responsibility, emphasizing how leaders set the tone by modeling these behaviors. Building accountability into daily routines encourages a culture of bringing solutions rather than just presenting problems.
The program wrapped with the group discussing what drives trust, the art of listening, how inclusion leads to belonging, coaching and feedback.
Before the program adjourned, participants were asked to provide key takeaways from the 2 days and share what they found most valuable. “The class provided different perspectives on leadership aspects that I had not really thought of beforehand. The facilitators did a great job at tying those concepts to real-life/relatable examples,” said one participant.
Someone else shared, “I learned that I need to be mindful of leadership styles so I can effectively communicate with my team members, because it can’t be the same for each team member.”
Registration is open for additional iterations of the Frontline Leadership Program hosted in Oklahoma, Midland and Louisiana. For more information about Energy Workforce training programs, contact Vice President Programs & Events Peggy Helfert.
Peggy Helfert, Vice President Programs & Events, writes about the Energy Workforce’s sector-specific best practices and leadership. Click here to subscribe to the Energy Workforce newsletter, which highlights sector-specific issues, best practices, activities and more.
