A career isn’t built by having all the answers. It’s built by staying curious, taking chances and continuing to learn along the way.
At a recent Leadership Forum, EWTC Board Member Jocelyn Waggoner, VP – Core Technologies, TechnipFMC, reflected on her extensive career journey, sharing key lessons she has learned and connecting each one to personal experiences and real-life scenarios.
Stay Curious and Ask Questions
One of her strongest messages was that professionals shouldn’t feel pressure to have all the answers.
“You don’t have to be perfect. It’s okay not to know everything. And to be honest, it would be crazy to think you can know everything,” Waggoner said.
Instead, she encouraged attendees to ask questions, listen and get in the weeds of projects to better understand the work happening around them. She emphasized the power of curiosity, noting that it creates opportunities to learn from others and allows one to contribute more effectively.
Say Yes to New Experiences
Waggoner shared how her own career journey hasn’t been linear nor followed the stereotypical “corporate ladder”. Instead, her career lead to moving to different functions, departments and locations around the world, all of which helped shape her perspective and build confidence.
“Say yes to things you haven’t done before,” she encouraged.
Careers don’t always move straight up, she noted, and lateral moves or unexpected opportunities can provide experiences that ultimately make someone a stronger leader.
Build Relationships and Influence
Waggoner also emphasized the importance of building professional relationships and networking in the industry.
“Your network is very important,” she said, encouraging attendees to connect with people at every level in the organization.
She shared that influence isn’t limited to those with executive titles. Some of the most meaningful contributions in her career came before she held a senior leadership position.
“Even as someone who wasn’t a VP or high up: you have a say,” she reminded attendees.
Lead by Developing Others
Wrapping up the forum, Waggoner emphasized that strong leadership is not just about individual accomplishments. It’s about supporting your team, recognizing the contributions of others and understanding that success is often a collective effort.
Her message ultimately came down to a few key principles for building a meaningful and successful career: stay curious, don’t be afraid to take on new opportunities, build meaningful relationships and remain open to learning.
Thank you to GD Energy Products for hosting the forum, and to Emerging Executives Committee Chair Nathan King, P.E., NOV, for delivering remarks and kicking off the conversation.
And a special thank you to our forum speaker, Jocelyn Waggoner, TechnipFMC, for sharing her experience and perspective with us.
Britney Turcios, Marketing Specialist, writes about the Energy Workforce & Technology Council. Click here to subscribe to the Energy Workforce newsletter, which highlights sector-specific issues, best practices, activities and more.
