DRILLS™ is an industry think tank event on Leadership, Legacy and Succession.
Over 50 attendees, both men and women, gathered during LAGCOE 2015 for an interactive conversation on retaining women in their companies and advancing their careers in energy. We answered critical questions around what resources, tools and forums women need to be successful in the energy industry, and what companies need to better leverage the talents of women in their organization.
Here are the top advice take-aways created by LAGCOE DRILLS attendees for women and companies who care about having an industry and company talent pipeline that includes women both above and below the management level.
| ADVICE FOR WOMEN IN THE ENERGY INDUSTRY | |
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1 |
Decide What You Want and Make a Plan To Get There. Create your short and long term professional goals. Take the time to tell others your plan and gain their support. Don’t be deterred. Be persistent. |
| 2 | Own What You Know and Admit To What You Don’t. Be confident in what you know and ask bold questions. You don’t have to know everything. If you don’t know the answer, don’t be afraid to say, “I’ll find out.” |
| 3 | Develop Your Professional and Leadership Skillset. Seek out and take advantage of the opportunities presented to you. Put new skills and learning into practice every day. |
| 4 | Build Strong Relationships. Put yourself out there. Invest in the time it takes to attend industry events, keep up with colleagues and mentors, and extend your network on and offline. |
| 5 | Be a Risk Taker. Take bigger risks. Be comfortable making decisions. Be assured of your contributions, but be open to new perspectives. |
| ADVICE FOR COMPANIES TO RETAIN WOMEN IN THE ENERGY INDUSTRY | |
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1 |
Capitalize on Capabilities. Look for talent everywhere; sometimes it is hidden beneath the surface. Recognize potential when you see it and actively support involvement in projects that will lead to greater responsibility. |
| 2 | Build Talent. Don’t Buy It. Invest in technical, professional and leadership development. Encourage women to take advantage of opportunities for growth and challenge. Provide opportunities for education and experience both in the office and in the field. |
| 3 | Talk About Work-Life Balance. Get input and figure out how the company can manage work-life balance in the realities of the energy industry. Promote and openly communicate about how the company values work-life balance for all. |
| 4 | Think about Safety with Women in Mind. Support a culture of safety by investing in practices and protective equipment that acknowledge the physical differences, like height, between men and women when in the field. |
| 5 | Make it Known that You Value Diversity of Thought. Men and women bring different perspectives and approaches to the table. Create a company culture grounded in loyalty and trust where all voices can be heard. |
For more information about DRILLS and events, please contact Elise Bouchner with EXCELERANT.
Excelerant specializes in serving small to medium sized entrepreneurial companies to develop their people and people-related practices in a pragmatic way that fits the company’s unique culture, respects their expertise and helps to keep the focus on business as the company continues to grow. Our approach applies our expertise in human resources, organizational development, coaching, training, leadership, and meeting facilitation to the real life challenges of growing successful companies. Leadership Excellence magazine recently named Excelerant one of the top U.S. firms providing leadership development services.
For more information, visit https://gatorwebsclient3.com/ or call 1-888-201-0155.