Keep your skills sharp.
That’s one of the tips Amy Chronis, managing partner at Deloitte, which provides a range of business advisory services, has given to oil and gas professionals looking to bounce back after a professional failure.
“No matter your level of experience or expertise, it is crucial to continue to expand your skillset, especially as technology continues to evolve the workplace,” Chronis told Rigzone.
The Deloitte representative also advised professionals that find themselves in this group to stay up to date on trainings and development opportunities offered inside and outside their company and to prioritize growing and moving outside of their comfort zone.
Another tip Chronis offered this group was to find a “career champion.”
“There is a difference between a mentor and a career champion. While mentors provide us with support and learning opportunities, a career champion is someone within your company that can help you navigate the organization and advocate for you when you face a professional set-back,” Chronis said.
The Deloitte managing partner advised those looking to rise up from a set-back to be flexible too.
“Being nimble and flexible is key to professional growth. At Deloitte, we believe that the corporate ladder has morphed into the corporate lattice, which means that increasingly, careers can be multidirectional instead of focused solely on upward growth,” Chronis said.
“To keep pace with business’ rapid rate of change, employees should think about their career as a multidirectional journey instead of a straight line and continually seek opportunities for growth and development,” Chronis added.
Mike Poland, managing director at Accenture Strategy, advised oil and gas professionals looking to bounce back after a professional failure to focus on their strengths.
“During a professional setback, it is too easy for us to focus on improving our weaknesses instead of highlighting our strengths,” Poland told Rigzone.
“Reflect back on roles you had with previous employers that you felt you excelled in, delivered value to the organization and you were passionate about and use those themes to create your knowledge, skills and abilities going forward,” he added.
Poland said there are several methodologies available for leveraging strengths.
“One I particularly like and have used in several organizations I have been a part of is Gallop’s CliftonStrengths. It was developed from a book published in 2001 called “Now, Discover Your Strengths” written by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton,” he stated.
Stephanie Rogers, managing director for talent and organization at Accenture Resources, said failures can be celebrated if the time is taken to understand and channel them in terms of ‘what’s next.’
“Being able to take a failure of any nature and learn what you might do different and why is courageous and requires patience,” Rogers said.
“The skills to manage through failure can be very valuable in an ever-changing world and can help our teams lead through ongoing complexity and vagueness. Be careful before you segment ‘failure’ in the trash bin,” Rogers added.
Offering his advice for oil and gas professionals looking to bounce back from a professional set-back, Aaron Wilson, recruitment manager at EM&I (Resources) Ltd, said “continue to develop, promote and network.”
“You’re a product and as such you need to continuously market yourself,” Wilson told Rigzone.
EM&I describes itself as an “industry leading” global organization providing asset integrity, inspection and specialized repair and maintenance services to the oil, gas and energy industries. Accenture provides services in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations.
