Last week, the Executive Leadership Program: Cultivating High-Performing Teams and Cultures, in partnership with Heidrick & Struggles, hosted its third session at HMH in Houston. The quarterly interactive program equips individuals with the tools and skills for future corporate leadership roles. The session opened with an overview of program expectations and upcoming events for participants to look forward to.
Facilitators Doug Orr and Laura Gironda focused on themes such as self-reflection, understanding cultural dynamics, and fostering inclusive behaviors throughout the session.
Participants broke into groups and discussed the importance of culture within a company and ways it can be critical to an organization’s success. One participant shared, “Culture is the way, and we succeed or fail by it. Strong culture sets the boundaries for how we lead, how we decide, and how we move forward as a team.”
The group also dove into the art of questioning and how thought-provoking questions can create connections rather than judgments. “Asking questions that are truly collaborative is harder than just asking ‘why,’ but that’s what pushes a team to think differently and perform at a higher level”, said one participant.
At the session’s close, participants were invited to share their thoughts on what resonated with them after the session wrapped. Several participants noted that the program’s lessons are especially valuable as companies navigate current industry challenges and changes.
“These are tough times, and leading a high-performing team means making the hard calls, moving forward with confidence, and being okay if something breaks or fails—as long as we stand by the decision and learn from it.”
Another comment from the group was, “The landscape of oil and gas has changed, and that means our culture has to change with it. We have high expectations, and it’s time for the team to rise and meet them.”
Energy Workforce is preparing for the upcoming programs in 2026, offering even more participants the opportunity to effectively lead their teams and become intentional leaders.
For more information about the yearlong Executive Leadership Program, 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.
