More than 40 participants from 12 different companies gathered at Diamondback Energy in Midland this week for the Energy Workforce Field Operations Leadership Program. Attendees learned about tools, resources and strategies to help develop and refine leadership skills within their roles.
The session was sponsored by strategic partners Chevron, NexTier Oilfield Solutions and SLB.
The Field Operations Leadership Program is a two-day seminar with a one-on-one executive coaching session designed to transform managers from individual contributors into effective leaders.
Over the two days participants explored and analyzed practices that support development of organizational networks and culture. They applied leadership tools such as goal setting and strategies for effective communication. Participants learned about the most common leadership styles and coaching models and identified how to recognize ideal candidates for development.
At the onset of the program the facilitators surveyed the group asking what they would most like to get out of the program. Common themes were understanding what motivates a team, how to improve effective communication, how to give feedback, how to delegate respectfully and effectively, and how to understand and handle different personalities.
“It’s important to have empathy and be able to recognize someone is feeling ‘off‘ or having a bad day. It can be critical not only to an employee’s performance but, more importantly, to their overall well-being and safety.”
Program Participant
After taking the DISC personality assessment, participants were able to dig into understanding their own personalities as well as understand other’s personality traits. The value of this self-discovery tool was noted during the session by one of the participants. “This exercise can help us read employees better as well as customers and, in the end, help us to communicate more effectively.”
Participants also broke into groups to practice the tools and models shared. Groups reported what they discussed, such as what makes a great leader, how to create and build trust within your teams, how to deliver effective feedback, change management and more. The breakouts provided the participants time to put the tools into practice, all while developing relationships with people they haven’t worked with before.
Participants discussed “living above the line,” by taking ownership, accountability and responsibility instead of blame, excuses and denial. Incorporating accountability into one’s daily routine demonstrates servant leadership and fosters engagement. Increased engagement promotes relatability, which sets the stage to provide necessary feedback to employees. This model was extremely well-received by the group.
“I know this tool will be extremely useful to me and look forward to sharing it with my team.”
Program Participant
Following the program, each participant will have an executive coaching session, providing an opportunity for the participants to invest time in themselves and discover ways to fill gaps, identify blind spots and build upon the other skills they already have in place.
Registration for the October 19-20 Field Operations Leadership Program in Midland is open. For more information about Energy Workforce training programs, contact Vice President Programs & Events Peggy Helfert.
THANK YOU STRATEGIC PARTNERS
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.
