Committed to developing the next generation of industry leaders, the PESA Emerging Leaders Committee kicked off its second Executive Leadership Program in January. The program exposes participants to one-on-one executive coaching sessions, personal assessments and mentorship opportunities. Over the course of the year, participants also attend two day-long leadership seminars and two PESA Leadership Forums.
The first leadership seminar titled “Engaging Leadership” was held on January 20 in Houston. Leslie Beyer, PESA President, provided an overview of PESA’s goals for the program and introduced the facilitator, Pat Lipovski, International Executive Specialist at Envision. Emerging Leaders Committee Chairman Amar Thiraviam, Vice President, Projects, Teledyne Oil & Gas, joined Lipovski and the Envision Team in collaboration with attendees from more than 20 PESA member companies to cultivate the personal leadership skills. Through personal assessments, attendees learned more about themselves and how to apply the most effective leadership styles needed to achieve their goals. As a new generation assumes leadership positions in our industry and sector, understanding generational differences, listening with intention and coaching with vision are crucial leadership tactics to maintain synergy within the workplace.
“This course provides a unique opportunity for PESA members to cultivate their high-performing talent in a time when training resources may be limited,” stated Leslie Beyer. “It falls directly in line with our mission of supporting PESA members with workforce development opportunities that will further develop the next leaders of our industry, and our sector specifically.”
Determining the best ways to communicate and generate effective feedback are among the skills attendees gained at the seminar. PESA Advisory Board Member Jeff Boettiger, NAM Industry Affairs Manager, Schlumberger, shared his leadership experience and discussed the professional development opportunities PESA provides. David Schorlemer, a 2015 PESA Executive Leadership Program graduate, explained how the program benefitted him personally and professionally as he recently transitioned into the role of Chief Financial Officer at GR Energy Services. By applying the principles of leadership coaching that he developed through the program, Schorlemer and other PESA members continue to positively impact the industry.
PESA’s new Leadership Forums fulfill the Executive Leadership Program requirements to attend leadership meetings. The forums, which are offered every other month, invite PESA members to interact with the industry’s top executives. Earl Childress, Executive Vice President at Teledyne Marine, led the January Leadership Forum and addressed leadership in a sales and business development setting. According to Childress, great solutions come from unique differentiation. He emphasized the importance of a positive attitude and a trusting relationship with customers. Although developing personal relationships is important, maintaining professional boundaries and remembering that business comes first is imperative. Identifying a customer’s problem and providing a solution is key to business development. To differentiate yourself, your company and your product, one must always be aware of how others perceive you.
“There is one thing you take with you your entire career and that is your personal brand,” stated Childress. “Your brand is how people perceive you. You must manage it, maintain it and most importantly invest in it. Successful leaders are experts in their markets. You must stay current on industry knowledge and never stop learning.”
The next PESA Leadership Forum will be held March 8 with PESA Board Member, Bob Moran, Vice President, Government and External Affairs, Halliburton. He invites PESA members to join him in a roundtable discussion on how government policy impacts the oilfield. For more information or to register for this event please email [email protected]
