When defining career goals and aspirations, Advisory Board Member Dave Warnick, Global Vice President – Human Resources, SPM Oil & Gas, A Caterpillar Company, advised Members to look for mentors, learn what knowledge, skills and experience are necessary for their next role, and understand what business needs and opportunities could be tied to their personal interests.
Warnick spoke to member company high-performers during a leadership forum on June 23. After an introduction from Emerging Executives Committee Chair Chris Berrie, Land Drilling Account Manager, Caterpillar Oil & Gas, Warnick defined a methodology that can be used to analyze a career path and create a development plan to achieve goals.
“One of my fundamental beliefs is that you own your development. You are the CEO of you and you have to take ownership.”
Dave Warnick, SPM Oil & Gas, A Caterpillar Company
Warnick explained that even if participants don’t know what they want to do long-term, or if they don’t have an exact role or timeline involved, they can still make a list of options based on types of roles. This includes visiting with leaders who have those kind of roles to get an idea of whether that position is a good match for their aspirations, understanding job responsibilities and requirements, and considering how difficult it will be to close the gaps in knowledge, skills and experience.
After opening the room to group discussion, Warnick explored the inputs needed in creating a personal development plan including gap analysis, being open to multiple routes, and finding additional perspectives. He charged the attendees with creating their plan by mapping out short, medium and long-term paths for desired long-term career goals, exploring business needs that would help accelerate personal growth, and engaging with key stakeholders to gain buy-in and sponsorship.
Leadership Forums allow Member Company high performers to interact with industry executives through open dialogue structured around a targeted theme. Check the Energy Workforce Upcoming Events to see when the next forum is scheduled.
Susan Dudley, Administrative Assistant, writes about Energy Workforce’s leadership programs. Click here to subscribe to the Energy Workforce newsletter, which highlights sector-specific issues, best practices, activities and more.
