Soma Somasundaram, ChampionX
PESA Advisory Board Member, Soma Somasundaram, President & CEO, ChampionX, discussed his evolution as a leader and shared strategies for building a purpose-driven organization during a virtual session of PESA’s Leadership Forum series.
Somasundaram described his career path, which formed his thinking on establishing and maintaining company culture, as well as which leadership attributes are most important. He said that purpose should infuse everything the organization does.
He said ChampionX’s culture encourages employees to evolve and progress in their careers by ensuring they receive leadership opportunities.
Small Group Discussion
When Somasundaram completed his prepared remarks, participants broke into small discussion groups to share key takeaways and consider what they believe makes a good leader. Somasundaram spent time with each group to answer questions and share additional thoughts.
Participants agreed that it’s more important than ever to frequently check in with team members with so many working from home. Somasundaram agreed and said that compassion is a key characteristic of the best leaders.
“Authenticity trumps charisma because it fosters and improves trust,” he told participants.
Based on feedback, PESA will continue the virtual format of Leadership Forums into 2021. PESA Leadership Forums provide high performers with the opportunity to interact with PESA Leadership in an informal setting. Check the PESA Events Calendar for information on our next forum.
