TEAM BUILDING
Many operations within our industry require a team effort in order for us to achieve our goals.
From drilling to production to refining, multiple people have a hand in getting a single barrel of oil out of the ground to its final refined product. Our ability to harness a talented team of professionals with various backgrounds and disciplines is constantly tested. Successful teams often portray a sense of loyalty and purpose that increases their productivity, work ethic and above all else, communication.
Communication is often cited as the number one cause for work, productivity and safety failures, while companies that focus on teamwork and collaboration within their groups are shown to have greater efficiency, creativity and overall employee satisfaction.
There is an evergreen phrase, "A chain is only as strong as the weakest link." We can easily adapt this phrase to say, "A team is only as strong as the weakest player." If I were to ask you to look internally at your own team, would you be able to identify both the strengths and weaknesses of yourself and your teammates? Would you know the strengths and weaknesses of your teammates without having worked or interacted with them? Would you feel comfortable sharing your own strengths and weaknesses with your team?
In order to obtain the confidence and trust that's needed to share our vulnerabilities, we need to build a relationship with one another and bond with our fellow teammates. If we don’t have an avenue to work on self-improvement or to improve our team, how can we successfully pursue our goals and reach our performance metrics? I encourage all of us to continually evaluate the strength and weaknesses of ourselves and the teams we work with. This evaluation can yield opportunities to positively progress our workflows and accomplish both our personal and company goals.
When was the last time that your team or group had a team building exercise? Oftentimes, we find ourselves too busy to organize something for our team, which is why the SPE Gulf Coast Section decided to fill the void in our industry. Last year, the GCS launched its inaugural TopGolf tournament with tremendous success. More than 400 oil and gas professionals joined together from all disciplines and experience levels to network and promote team-building concepts. Being able to work together as teammates in a non-work environment allows us to come together to share common goals and achieve success, in and out of the workplace.
If you would like to register yourself or a full team, please go to the registration page: spegcs.org/events/4631/
If you would like to sponsor one of the largest events that the GCS offers, please see the following page on our website: spegcs.org/events/4531/
If you would like to know more about the benefits associated with teamwork and collaboration, visit this great website: blog.bit.ai/collaboration-statistics/
Until next month,
Gabrielle Morrow