More than 25 participants from eight different companies gathered at ProPetro Services in Midland last week for this year’s third iteration of the Field Operations Leadership Program. Attendees learned about tools, resources and strategies to help develop and refine leadership skills within their roles.
Strategic partners Chevron, NexTier Completions Solutions and SLB sponsored the session.
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.
During the course, participants explored and analyzed practices that support the 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.
Facilitators surveyed the group during the first day, asking what they would most like to get out of the program. Common themes were effective ways to handle conflict, understanding other people’s personalities, acquiring new tools to motivate people on their teams, learning from mistakes and sharpening communication skills.
“To be a good leader, a good ‘captain,’ we all need the tools to deal with what we come across daily. We want to make solid decisions and have the confidence to make those decisions, which can in turn, help build a confident team.”
Program Participant
After taking the DISC personality assessment, participants began to understand their personalities as well as understand other’s personality traits. One of the participants emphasized the importance and impact of this self-discovery tool during the session.
“This exercise has been extremely helpful. Now I have the tools to more effectively communicate with the different personalities on my team,” the participant said.
Participants also broke into groups and role-played to practice the tools and models being shared. Groups reported what they discussed, such as what makes a great leader, how to create and build trust within your teams, change management, how to deliver effective employee feedback and more. The breakouts provided the participants time to put the tools into practice, all while developing relationships with people they hadn’t worked with before.
“Being able to practice delivering positive as well as corrective feedback during the class this week has been very helpful, and I’m looking forward to trying the feedback model at work.”
Program Participant
Participants also discussed “living above the line,” by taking ownership, accountability and responsibility for their actions, 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 for providing necessary feedback to employees. This model was extremely well-received by the group.
“I had not heard of the ‘Living Above the Line’ model before. I look forward to implementing it because I think it’s simple but powerful,” said one participant.
Following the program, each participant will receive an executive coaching session, which will provide 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.
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.
