Blake McKenna
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Blake McKenna may not have always wanted to join the oil and gas industry, but the co-founder of XCL Resources at age 31 had long been primed to lead. He credits his father for providing key mentorship wisdom. “Growing up, I was always eager for the next thing, and he would remark that ‘in order to be a candidate for something, you have to first be content not having it,’” he says. “Identifying and empowering individuals to their maximum potential within a team, and then incentivizing them for their achievements is my favorite part about being a leader.” His early career path took him to the Colorado School of Mines, to the oil field as a roughneck on a drilling rig and to an internship at EOG Resources, where he was “hooked for life.”
Community service/hobbies/interests:
I have volunteered at crisis pregnancy centers for young mothers alongside my wife, and currently work with migrant refugees seeking asylum. I enjoy everything active and outdoors with family and friends, especially skiing and powerlifting.
What qualities do you think are necessary to be a good leader in the oil and gas industry?
Humility is my big one. A leader’s job is to elevate others to success via an ownership mentality. Owners are incentivized and carry ultimate responsibility for everything within their world. A good leader can enable others rise to their potential and celebrate their success.
How have you exercised leadership to help shape your company?
We give the upside to as many people as we can. Good teams share in the victory, but it takes the effort and desire to let others share in the group’s success.
What advice would you give other young professionals?
If you want to be a leader, you need to quickly learn that it’s not about you. It’s about others. The more you make your work about the team that surrounds you, the more responsibility you will find willingly comes your way.
What are your long- and short-term career goals?
Long term is to grow a continued focus on building and empowering teams. Short term is to build some boundaries around my time and focus on the most important things.
What keeps you motivated and passionate about working in the oil and gas industry?
The people. The oil and gas industry has a unique culture of very competitive and relational individuals. I love every minute of it.
What do you think young industry members as a group have to offer that is unique to them?
It’s almost always going to be energy and creative thought. Innovation usually, though not always, rests with the young and eager. When I first started in the industry, this age range was sparse, and the industry had become fairly stagnant after two rough decades. But as soon as oil prices went up and the young men and women came streaming in, it came to life with new innovations and momentum.
Which transformations do you think the industry must undertake for it to thrive in the future?
Without a massive technological change, we are becoming a business increasingly existing on operating margins as our remaining undeveloped locations get drilled. Progress in a period of asset blow-downs is tough without risk and creativity. Get weird, wildcat a little and take some risks!
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