Are oil & gas workers "fearless" or simply desensitized by constant employer & industry surprises?
Are fear-focused campaign ads (and fear-focused management styles) a sign of desperation?
Are Marcellus-based external affairs teams the ideal model of how industry leaders can address fears and division among their internal stakeholders?
Find out in this Halloween episode of The Energy Detox.
Read MoreRange Resources and Weird Al Yankovic have at least two things in common:
💡 On October 23, 2024, Range Resources celebrates the 20th anniversary of their groundbreaking Marcellus frac, and the world celebrates the 65th birthday of Weird Al Yankovic.
💡 Both Range and Weird Al are undoubtedly pioneers—although some might question those claims.
That being said, Episode 98 of The Energy Detox will reinforce a leadership lesson you're almost certainly aware of...but may not be fully implementing: the specific words you use can—and will—shape your credibility, impact, and legacy.
Read MoreThis company pioneered the Marcellus with its frac of the Renz #1 well in October 2004.
What is Range Resources?
To honor 20 years of shale development that helped save Western PA from economic jeopardy, this Jeopardy!-inspired episode of The Energy Detox asks 20 questions that 1) highlight the story of the first Marcellus frac, and 2) provide practical ways to unleash the full potential of your stakeholders.
Read MoreJust because you work in a roller-coaster-esque industry doesn’t mean your leadership style needs to be filled with twists and turns and surprises.
So, take a few minutes to be inspired by the odd sight of a Ferris wheel in the middle of a bridge and ask yourself these three questions:
💡 Do you lead others with the consistency, reliability, and predictability of a Ferris wheel or the dramatic, uncertain, and potentially nausea-inducing nature of a roller coaster?
💡 What are all the ways you can help others take greater advantage of the opportunities associated with their current level on the corporate Ferris wheel and, in turn, avoid wasting all your energy on what might be a short-sighted focus on getting to the top?
💡 Why does your company continue to invest in short-term "thrills" to boost morale and engagement instead of long-lasting leadership development resources that generate sustained impact...like the sustained impact that George Ferris' wheel has had for the past 130 years or the sustained impact that Range Resources first Marcellus frac has had for the past 20 years?
Read MoreWhen people hear your name, what's the first thing you want them to think?
...and what are you doing to make sure people actually DO think what you want them to when they hear your name—or the name of your team, department, or company?"
To help you answer those questions, Episode 95 of The Energy Detox weaves together a few Pittsburgh-related headlines:
💡 Today’s CHK/SWN consummation, which just made Pittsburgh-based EQT the "former largest natural gas producer in the U.S."
💡 Yesterday's death of Pete Rose, who earned the first of his 4,256 hits against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1963
💡 Today's announced $16 Billion deal between ADNOC and Covestro, which has its North American HQ in the Pittsburgh region.
Read MoreWhat can we do to create a Natural Gas epidemic?
What small steps can we take to boost the stickiness of our industry's message?
And how can you—as an individual leader—overcome the natural immunity of your stakeholders so that they infect countless others with knowledge of the differentiated value you generate?
Inspired by the Marcellus Shale Coalition's SHALE INSIGHT® 2024 conference, 400 bottles of maple syrup, and Malcolm Gladwell's Tipping Point, Episode 94 of The Energy Detox will help you answer those three questions.
Read MoreDid you know that maple syrup inspired the drilling of the first commercial natural gas well?
Did you know that the Haymaker brothers who drilled the well were in search of oil, not gas?
Did you know that there are two cocktails inspired by natural gas that can serve as refreshing reminders of how you can be a more effective leader?
Read MoreWhat's a bigger risk to your company and your industry:
A) Settling for conventional, generic, uninspiring management tips and tricks that follow the stale script of some supposed leadership guru who has little to no idea what you actually do; or
B) Embracing unconventional, differentiated, proven approaches designed to address the unique challenges that you, your team, your company, and your industry face?
Regardless of your answer, this episode of The Energy Detox will boost your odds of becoming a more conscious, trusted, and effective leader by laying out a set of tools inspired the #UnleashUSLNG campaign that EQT’s Toby Rice will be discussing at this week's PIOGA Spring Meeting, during which PIOGA may very well stand for (P)roducers (I)lluminating (O)fficials' (G)ambling (A)dditions (...with regard to energy policy).
Read MoreAlthough shale energy development has created countless worldwide winners, only one person won the 2024 #WorldShaleEnergyDay sweepstakes.
That being said, this LIVE episode of The Energy Detox kicks off by drawing that lucky winner.
Then we dive into the challenge of sustaining the winning performance of envy-inducing, high-horsepower teams in the high-pressure of world of energy.
So, tune in for some practical tools you can employ to manage the fracture-inducing burnout and jealousy that winning teams often have to navigate.
Read MoreWhy would you lead your team to overtime if you have a chance to win in regulation?
That's essentially the question posed by Chris Wright and his Liberty Energy team in this year's "Bettering Human Lives" report, which 1) outlines the proven playbook that's already led 1/8th of the world ("the lucky one billion") to "lifestyles that would make Louis XIV envious" and 2) asks why world leaders would choose to play a new game when victory over energy poverty is at hand.
That being said, this episode of The Energy Detox weaves together insights from Liberty's unique ESG report, Super Bowl XVIII, and Vladimir Putin's recent interview with Tucker Carlson to help you better articulate your team's prior victories and better define what future victory looks like for you and your stakeholders.
Read MoreEpisode 89 of The Energy Detox weaves 5 hit songs from the sexagenarian Queen of Pop into 5 questions you can ask to better bridge generational gaps in today's energy industry.
Read MoreHave you heard so many repetitive references to the geopolitical, environmental, and economic benefits of LNG that you and Punxsutawney Phil are about ready to drive off a cliff?
If so, take a break from the tired talking points and enjoy this Groundhog Day episode of The Energy Detox.
Read MoreAre you bothered when someone refers to a "negative" temperature?
Or is that just an odd pet peeve of some people (or of one person)?
Either way, a North American cold snap not only inspires the sharing of that temperature-related pet peeve in this Calgary-based episode of The Energy Detox, but also sparks a conversation about a pet peeve that's likely having a negative impact on your organization:
Generic Leadership
Read More"HARMFUL FOSSIL FUELS"
If you discovered those words strung together in your child's news magazine, what would you do to address this apparent instance of fossil fuel fear-mongering that could limit a child's ability to think critically?
Similarly, what steps would you take if you found evidence that a fear-based culture is hindering your team's ability to grow, develop, and innovate?
To help you answer those questions, this Halloween episode of The Energy Detox leverages both today's fear-fueled holiday and recent fossil fuel news to guide you through a 3-step leadership approach:
1 - IDENTIFY signs of fear by "flipping through your company's (figurative) magazines"
2 - ADDRESS fear-inducing leadership behaviors by communicating directly with your stakeholders
3 - CORRECT past issues and establish a future plan that minimizes the risk of fear undermining your organization
Read MoreEver wonder why SHALE INSIGHT® is always written in ALL CAPS?
Could it be that the Marcellus Shale Coalition has cleverly concealed a 12-word acronym within the name of its flagship event?
Either way, this post-conference episode of The Energy Detox podcast attempts to unearth S.H.A.L.E. I.N.S.I.G.H.T. leadership themes letter-by-letter, leaving you with 12 questions inspired by the 2023 slate of speakers.
Read MoreBP's CEO Resigns. Gas Prices Skyrocket. And New Jersey Drivers Still Don't Pump Their Own Gas.
What's the connection among those headlines?
Well, they're all fuel for thought on the hidden costs of self-serve leadership.
And they provide a perfect excuse to ask yourself these four questions:
1 - Am I unwittingly signaling that I've got it all figured out?
2 - What's the true ROI of the time and energy I spend on self-help resources?
3 - Are my company's internal L&D efforts actually hindering leadership sustainability?
4 - Are "full-service" third-party coaching resources merely filling me up with nice-sounding — but impractical — tools?
Read MorePennsylvania's spotted lanternfly infestation hasn't been blamed on frac'ing...yet.
But when the media (inevitably) does report (one-sidedly) on some kind of (flimsy) link, are you and your fellow industry leaders ready to squash yet another onslaught of energy lies as enthusiastically as kids across PA have been squashing lanternflies this summer?
If your answer is no, then check out this episode of The Energy Detox, which uses the "Kill it! Squash it, smash it" campaign from the PA Department of Agriculture to help arm you and your stakeholders with the tools necessary to eradicate (figurative) spotted lanternflies that are wreaking havoc inside and outside of your organization.
Read MoreCan you imagine anything more sickening than dumping human waste on an audience looking up to you for inspiration?
Well, that's what happens every time toxic communications unwittingly spill from your lips.
And that's what Episode 82 of The Energy Detox will help you recognize, mitigate, and clean up.
Read MoreHow can the art of pitch framing help your leadership performance stay above the Mendoza Line?
Find out in this West Coast edition of The Energy Detox podcast, where you’ll explore the parallels between the skills necessary to be an effective catcher in Major League Baseball and the skills necessary to be an effective leader in the oil and gas industry. Drawing inspiration from baseball's best pitch framer, Austin Hedges, we reveal four essential leadership lessons:
1) Positioning for Success
2) Giving (and Getting) Credit Where Credit is Due
3) Exhibiting Executive Presence
4) Building Trust
By adopting pitch framing principles, energy leaders can elevate their performance, steer their teams to success, and create a positive ripple effect throughout their organizations.
Read MoreTo prevent (corporate) wildfires, follow these 4 Smokey-inspired leadership tips:
1 - Speak the same language as your audience, NOT in easily dismissed or ignored talking points. For example, when speaking to an environmentalist about headlines linking fossil fuels and Canadian forest fires, acknowledge their disappointment regarding the millions of acres of lost trees...and calmly point out that you'd need to burn 3-4 million acres of forests per year to generate the same amount of energy the United States produces from natural gas.
2 - Manage excessive "fuel loads" in your team. Regularly clear out rumors, uncertainties, and unresolved issues that may be causing stress or confusion.
3 - Ensure effective "fire suppression" by giving people the space they need to execute, clearly defining roles and responsibilities, and avoiding micromanagement.
4 - Eliminate the "diseases and insects" leading to large areas of dead and dying wood. Actively remove any toxic or unproductive elements causing decay or harm.
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