Words to live by

A couple of months ago, I wrote a few pieces of advice to young professionals in our industry based on my more than 40 years in the industry. Some of you may have thought them presumptuous. But some of you clearly did not based on the responses I received. One of those responses, from Tim Gilblom, senior engineering advisor for Apache North Sea Ltd. really stood out. A few of years ago, Tim put together a set of 10 Commandments to help new field managers set their priorities. I found them to be particularly to the point, not only for field managers but for all of us. Below are Tim’s 10 Commandments.

Thou shalt not be arrogant.
There’s a lot more that you don’t know than that you do know.

Thou shalt not be afraid of the truth.
Tell the truth to subordinates and superiors. Insist on the truth in return.

Thou shalt listen to the people in the field.
Everyone knows something worthwhile, even if they’re quiet about stating it.

Thou shalt manage to serve the field, not the executives.
A good executive knows that long-term success comes from positive asset performance. You will satisfy a good executive by basing your decisions on what’s best for the field.

Thou shalt set the direction, assign responsibilities and let people work.
The internal motivation of good employees can be tapped by showing them trust and giving them responsibility. The best work is done when all brains are engaged.

Thou shalt have explainable decisions and actions.
You’re not required to explain everything you do, but you should be able to. When you ask someone to do something new or unusual, you owe them an explanation why.

Thou shalt know your business.
You should understand the technical basis for your project, each person’s function and responsibilities, the key economic drivers, and how your project fits into the company’s strategy.

Thou shalt question the value of every activity.
Just because something has always been done a certain way, doesn’t mean it should continue to be done that way, nor does it mean it needs to be changed. As conditions change and evolve, you should continually evaluate why you’re doing what you’re doing.

Thou shalt not always consider operating costs above all else.
Field groups are constantly asked to lower operating costs. Know your project’s key drivers. A growing operation with a moderate expense to production ratio is better than a shrinking operation with a low expense to production ratio.

Thou shalt be patient.
The field operates more on Mother Nature’s time schedule than on Wall Street’s. Take the time necessary to allow people do the job correctly and safely.

Tim’s commandments seem to me to be an excellent set of guidelines for success. Our thanks to Tim for allowing us to share them with you.