The first Core Leadership Skills for New & Upcoming Managers program of 2026 was held last week at HMH in Houston, bringing together early-stage managers from across the industry to strengthen the skills needed to lead with confidence and purpose.
Participants represented a range of roles, including Engineering Manager, Manufacturing Supervisor, Quality Manager, and Receiving and Shipping Supervisor. Throughout the program, they explored practical tools, resources, and strategies to help them develop and refine their leadership skills.
From Self-Awareness to Stronger Team Leadership
Facilitated by Laura Gironda of Heidrick & Struggles, the two-day seminar helps managers make the transition from individual contributors to effective leaders. Participants examined their individual leadership styles and learned how to become more situationally agile. They also identified their personal passions and what energizes them—an important foundation for understanding the emotional energy they bring to their teams.
On day one, participants were asked what they hoped to gain from the experience. Common themes included enhancing their skills as new team leaders and building on existing leadership capabilities to achieve better results.
Prior to the program, participants completed a personality assessment that provided an opportunity for deeper self-reflection and greater understanding of how different personality traits can influence workplace interactions. One participant captured the value of this exercise by sharing, “I’ll be more aware of emotional intelligence and recognize it within my team and their personality types.”
Learning Through Reflection
Some of the most valuable moments in EWTC programs happen during the debriefs, when participants have an opportunity to reflect openly on what they have learned through group exercises and discussions. This program was no exception.
One participant reflected, “This taught me a lot about perception; two people can see the same thing differently, and that doesn’t mean one of you is wrong. You’re just looking at it from a different angle.”
Another offered a more personal takeaway: “Growing as a leader isn’t automatic. It takes intentional effort and the courage to actually make changes.”
Before the program concluded, Gironda posed a simple but powerful question to the group: “What will shift in your leadership based on what you’ve learned?”
The responses demonstrated the personal impact of the two-day experience. “I need to bring more empathy into my everyday interactions.” And another participant shared: “My time is valuable. I need to be more intentional with how I use it, both for myself and with my team.”
These reflections reinforce a central message of the Core Leadership program: effective leadership starts with self-awareness and intentional action. By understanding the energy they bring to their teams, recognizing how their behaviors influence others, and committing to meaningful change, new and emerging leaders can create stronger, more engaged, and more accountable teams.
Registration is open for additional iterations of the Core Leadership Program hosted in Oklahoma and Louisiana. For more information about Energy Workforce training programs, contact Vice President Programs & Events Peggy Helfert.
Peggy Helfert, Vice President Programs and 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.
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.
