Securing Sustainable Transitions of Power
While the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 were inexcusable, indefensible, and counter-productive, it remains important for you as a leader to ask whether you might be settling for “peaceful” transitions in your own life when what you and your stakeholders actually need is a little bit of (lawful and non-violent) disruption.
And in this Season 1 finale of The Energy Detox (recorded November 2020), you’ll be encouraged to ask:
1) "In what ways am I unwittingly sabotaging my chances of long-term success because of short-term (and misguided) pressure from my stakeholders?" and
2) “How are the hundreds of discrete ‘transitions of power’ I make each day unwittingly draining my precious time and energy?”
To help you answer those questions, we’ll weave together examples from sports, parenting, the global “energy transition,” corporate mergers & acquisitions, and—of course—from the Trump/Biden presidential transition.
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TRANSCRIPT:
(Edited for clarity, readability, and—where necessary—to emphasize that the use of violence or illegal actions is completely inconsistent with the theme of this episode, which was released 6 weeks prior to the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021)
00:00
In the lead up to this year's presidential election, you likely read or heard questions about whether or not we'd see a "peaceful transition of power" were President Trump to lose the election.
And in the aftermath of the election, those same questions intensified during coverage of lawsuits and recounts and potential fraud in a half dozen swing states. But after some ballot recounting, state certification of results, and the official casting of electoral votes in December, most people expect there to eventually be some kind of concession by Donald Trump (even if it simply comes via Twitter) and a peaceful transition of power, allowing us to start turning our attention to the 2024 presidential election…which will, of course, be here before you know it.
00:37
But before inauguration day arrives, and before we start looking ahead 4 years, I'm going to extract just a bit more from the craziness of this year's election to talk about some other transitions of power, particularly those related to energy industry leaders who are managing both literal transitions of power—from fossil fuels to renewables—and figurative transitions of power as mergers, acquisitions, bankruptcies, and other disruptions continue over the coming months.
01:01
And as we identify overlap between the transition of power in the executive branch of our federal government, the transitions of power among the executive teams of energy companies, and the transition away from oil and natural gas that a Biden administration will be advocating for, our primary goal today is to help you stop yourself from sabotaging the transitions that you are a part of...whether those are small transitions from one task to another throughout your day, or more significant transitions like changing careers or industries or moving from one city to another.
01:31
And we'll accomplish the goal of ensuring smooth and sabotage-free transitions by breaking today's episode down into three parts:
01:38
In the first part will encourage you to closely examine the "transition team" of people who should be setting you up for success…but who may be unwittingly sabotaging your ability to lead effectively;
01:49
In Part 2 we'll help you develop a mindset that leads to an increase of power, even at times when the transitions you're facing seem like they are stripping you of the power you had been wielding;
01:59
And in Part 3 we’ll make sure you're not merely striving for "peaceful" transitions and instead can see that a little bit of discord and discomfort and turbulence (so long as it is lawful and non-violent) might be necessary to drive sustainable transitions.
02:25
[Intro Music]
02:26
Hello and welcome to The Energy Detox, a petroleum-based blend of leadership conversations guaranteed to boost your professional and personal output by flushing away the hidden—and often toxic—barriers to peak performance.
02:38
I'm your host, Joe Sinnott, a chemical engineer, executive coach, and 15-year energy industry veteran helping you tap into the same resources fueling today's most successful and sustainable leaders.
02:49
And today we're talking about how those leaders effectively navigate transitions. And I'll concede early on that this topic of transition is not new to The Energy Detox. In fact, we've discussed transitions to varying degrees in most episodes to date; and I spend a good chunk of my day helping individuals successfully and sustainably navigate transitions of all sorts—be they personal transitions, professional transitions, or some combination of the two.
03:12
But as mentioned in the opening of this episode, we're going to use current events and a number of different transitions occurring in our world right now as an excuse to make sure you are not unwittingly sabotaging the ongoing transitions—both big and small—that you're involved with each and every day.
03:27
Because the reality is that life is a constant state of transition. We may focus on only a handful of transitions that feel particularly significant or potentially draining. And we might ignore the little transitions that occur as we move about our day. But the path towards sustainable success is far smoother once you shift your focus from the big transitions—like changing jobs or moving to a new city or starting a family or entering retirement—and instead become more conscious of the smaller transitions that can add up very quickly and that can drain your energy...and that can dampen your effectiveness as a leader, especially if you've never stopped to realize how much energy you're investing in these relatively minor transitions.
04:02
And when you stop and think about it, it's clear that you're making hundreds of discrete transitions each and every day. And every one of those transitions requires energy; every one of those requires you to exert some power to fuel that transition. And there are some exceptions, of course: like if you fall asleep listening to this podcast, the transition from conscious to unconscious probably didn't require too much of your energy.
04:23
But setting aside exceptions like those, I'd argue that virtually every transition requires energy—or power—to make it happen. Almost every transition is, in fact, a "transition of power"; and how you manage those transitions of power will have a far bigger impact on your life and your success than the presidential transition of power occurring within our federal government or the C-suite transitions of power within companies or the transition of power generation sources as government bodies and private organizations embrace—if not mandate—a rapid shift toward renewable energy over the coming decade.
04:53
And not only am I suggesting that all transitions be categorized as “transitions of power” because they require energy, but I'm also arguing that all transitions are transitions of power because there is some power that is controlling whether they happen in the first place...and, once they do occur, some power dictating how the transitions proceed. Stated another way, each transition is a "transition of power" because some person or algorithm or force of nature is pushing for that transition to occur.
05:18
And as you go through your day, something or someone is driving each and every transition: sometimes it's your brain (consciously or subconsciously). Sometimes it's Mother Nature as she transitions from day to night or from dry to wet or from cold to hot. And sometimes it's other people, like a highway construction worker forcing a driver to transition from one lane to another because of road work that's occurring up ahead.
05:39
So, to repeat, what I'm suggesting is that all transitions are, in essence, transitions of power, because they 1) involve some exertion of power in the form of energy to get from point A to point B; and 2) because they involve some power in terms of influence and control and authority and decision-making that causes a transition to occur in the first place.
05:57
And to support my assertion that all transitions are transitions of power—because they require energy and they require decisions—let's look at the transition made each night from consciousness to unconsciousness. And, yes, as I just mentioned, if you're listening to me now and nodding off, you might argue that falling asleep to my voice requires very little energy. But in most other circumstances, there's some effort involved to transition from being conscious to unconscious...
06:19
Think of whatever bedtime routine you have that transitions you from a full day of activity to bedtime. And in it's basic form, maybe you brush your teeth; maybe you read a book or a magazine; you likely turn off some lights; maybe you set your alarm clock for the morning. And in that transition, you are exerting energy to transition to what is hopefully several hours of restful and rejuvenating slumber.
06:38
And you might not be using as much mental or physical power as you did during the day. But going to bed does require some amount of power. And the power over when you get ready for bed might rest solely with you; but it could also be partially controlled by the fact that you have an early morning meeting, or that you're feeling a little sick, or that you just know that you've been sleep-deprived for the last couple days and you want to go to bed early. Whatever the reason is, the power to choose sleep might rest with you...but it might not.
07:03
And regardless of why you're transitioning to sleep and how much energy that's taking you, you generally hope the transition is as peaceful as possible. But sometimes it's not. Sometimes it gets interrupted. And that's a lot of what we're going to be talking about today: that a lot of transitions are not terribly peaceful.
07:21
And if you have kids or a dog or noisy neighbors or roommates, you might know all about things that can disturb your peaceful transition to sleep; you might know all about the ways that such transitions can be sabotaged by these other forces. And—at least with young kids—that's why parents exert so much energy getting children into a bedtime routine, so that that nightly transition eventually goes as smoothly and peacefully as possible day after day after day.
07:44
But to get to that point where you have a good routine can take a lot of energy and is heavily dependent on the child or children involved. Usually, the ultimate goal is a number of different steps—a number of smaller transitions that signal that bedtime is approaching and that it's time to be calm and peaceful. And that routine might involve a bath or a story or snack or some combination of things that helps children wind down. And rarely do such routines develop in one evening.
08:06
In fact, parents may have to endure weeks of non-peaceful transitions with much resistance and screaming and running around and removal of diapers and chaos before the routine sticks. And that scene is one of a real transition of power. Both sides—parents and children—are exerting some amount of power, some amount of energy; both sides are trying to demonstrate some control over the situation.
Several nights of “non-peaceful” bedtime transitions may be necessary to ensure a sustainable bedtime routine that brings the peace, rest, and sanity parents may desperately be seeking.
And the chaos that is often involved—and the jockeying for power, if you will, the lack of cooperation, the occasional compromises that have to be made...how those are managed can be the difference between everyone in the family ultimately getting consistent sleep and everyone continuing on in some unsustainable, toxic, and never-ending transition that leads to exhaustion, frustration, and wasted energy from all parties.
08:48
So having said all that—and for those of you who are still awake and listening—let's go ahead and address the constant transitions of power occurring in your life. And let's make sure you can avoid sabotaging those transitions and unwittingly leaving yourself exhausted, frustrated, and drained of energy.
09:04
And, as mentioned in the intro, we're going to help you do this by breaking up the conversation into three distinct parts:
In Part 1, you will take a really hard look at your transition team and other resources that are either helping or hindering your transitions;
In part 2, you'll develop a mindset that helps you gain power through each and every transition...even those where it seems like someone or something is stripping you of power;
And in Part 3, you'll learn to (legally and without violence) resist calls for “peaceful” transitions of power and instead strive for the most sustainable transitions possible even if that means things need to be a little chaotic—like the family working through a new bedtime routine with their toddlers.
09:42
So, jumping into Part 1, what does your transition team look like as you go throughout the day? What people are actively feeding you the information you need to make decisions about the best way to get from point A to point B? What people are directly or indirectly guiding you, pushing you, and challenging you?
09:56
And, obviously, if you're Joe Biden right now, you have a ton of people on your transition team; and those people are developing an agenda, prioritizing policies, preparing executive orders to be signed on day 1, and identifying thousands of presidential appointees that can be in place as close to Inauguration Day as possible.
10:11
And while one can envision there being a lot involved when a country's leadership changes hands, the reality is that even sitting presidents who are re-elected are expected to treat their next 4 years with some distinction and not just continue with the same focus and people and priorities as before. There's supposed to be a transition to a second term, even if it's less involved than a transition to a first term.
10:30
Because if sitting presidents don't reevaluate their transition team and the people helping them set an agenda; and if they ignore the opportunities that come with transitions, then presidents—like any leaders—can risk complacency and reduce their odds of sustained success for themselves and their administration.
10:45
And this is just as true during corporate transitions of power that the energy industry has seen plenty of over the last year or so. And as those transitions occur—be they through a merger or acquisition or bankruptcy-induced restructuring—where are a company's stakeholders looking for guidance on how best to navigate the transition? For employees who expect to lose their jobs, they might be looking for guidance from LinkedIn and recruiters and headhunters.
11:08
But for most people, they are looking for some sense of direction from within the company. And if you're leading a company in transition, where do you want them to get that direction from? From you directly? From your board of directors? From members of the C-suite? From high-priced consultants and advisors?
11:22
No, you don't want stakeholders waiting to get direction from any of those sources. You want them getting information and guidance and inspiration from a "transition team" that knows what the challenges are, knows what the objectives are, and perhaps knows where some of the bodies are buried, so to speak. And that team might overlap with executive leadership and consultants and you as the leader, but you want middle management and team leaders to all be operating with a "transition mindset," which does not allow for stakeholders to simply wait for guidance at each step, and which doesn't ask for approval to think outside the box and seek out resources that might not be in the transition plan that was slapped together on day 1.
11:54
And the same is true as you lead your personal life: you don't want to stop what you're doing and seek out a handful of resources to help you transition from one step to the next. No, you want to broaden your "transition team," so to speak; you want to be open to someone who you might not have turned to before; you might want to take a different path than you normally would have to get from point A to point B. And you need to ask yourself—as you make those hundreds of discrete transitions each day—whether you've been over-relying on a small subset of people and resources and whether that existing transition team is helping you move through your day or is, in fact, sabotaging your ability to maintain peak performance.
12:31
And coming back to the corporate world, I've seen how empowering a constant "transition team mindset" among as wide of a population as possible can pay dividends. I've seen the difference between teams who have lost a leader and literally stood around waiting for guidance and those who have lost a leader and kept on adding value. And obviously you want the latter.
12:49
But to get there, you need people to understand that, as humans and organizations, we are always in transition and that you want to surround yourself with a team of people who fully understand that we're always in transition, because that does two things:
13:01
One, it fights stagnation; it helps people see the small transitions and choices they make each day instead of mindlessly going through the motions. And, two, it removes the shock and awe when bigger transitions (like bankruptcy or a merger or the changing of a manager) inevitably occur. And the more that leaders at every level help their people focus on the bigger picture and the ultimate objectives, the easier it is to develop this “transition team mentality.”
13:23
And transition-minded individuals are those who keep the overall agenda front and center, and who fully understand whatever mandate they've been given. And when people collectively have a transition-minded approach, the less you'll see stakeholders using relatively minor disruptions as an excuse to sabotage their performance and the performance of those around them.
13:40
And, sure, changes in leadership or ownership at a company are significant events; and employees taking a moment to pause and consider what such changes mean for them and their jobs is human nature. And I'm not suggesting people don't step out of their cubes (or call an impromptu Zoom meeting) when a company-wide email goes out announcing major changes to the organization.
13:56
But once the initial shock of big news wears off, do you have a workforce that kind of shrugs their shoulders and calmly says, "Well, that's interesting. I wonder what's next?" and goes about their business. Or do you want a workforce that's collectively screaming, "Oh my God, I can't believe it! I wonder what's gonna happen next! I don't know what to do!" Well, obviously, you want the first one, because the second one is draining and unsustainable and unnecessary.
14:16
And I say all this having seen leadership disruptions of all shapes and sizes in my career: from changes in my direct manager to changes at the very top of an organization. Heck, I witnessed 4 CEO transitions in less than 2 years at my former employer; and I witnessed the disruption and confusion that comes with such changes.
14:31
And going further back in time, I often joke about my time at Notre Dame, where there were 4 different head football coaches in my four years there (although one of those coaches was fired after only 5 days because someone discovered that his resume had a few lies in it).
14:42
But whether talking corporations or football programs, the point is that transitions can obviously take their toll on people...but that toll can be lessened if you and your stakeholders have the mindset of a transition team. The impacts of changes can be overwhelmingly positive if those around you look at transitions as opportunities and not merely as disruptions.
15:01
So, the people who really understand that transitions are a constant part of life and who aren't looking for excuses are the people you want on your team. And the more of those you surround yourself with, the better your company—or college football program—will be from a productivity standpoint, from a cost standpoint, and from a recruiting standpoint.
15:18
And you need to ask yourself if you have a team that cares about the mission, not a team that's caught up just in their own roles and tasks and responsibilities...and not a team that's caught up in the personality and character of a single leader. But a team that cares about winning no matter what that victory looks like; a team that's not looking for an excuse to jump ship; the team that's not over-reliant on a specific leader or process, but instead embraces adaptability and agility in order to sustain momentum at all costs.
15:44
So ask yourself, as a leader, if you are building teams that could almost care less whether you are around or not. Or if you have a team that will stand around with their heads down and shoulders slumped if you're not on the sideline for some reason. Because if you have a team that's over-reliant on you, or that isn't challenging you and pushing you, then you don't have a "transition-ready" team, you have a team that risks stagnation and disappointment. And not only have you been doing them a disservice, but you've been setting yourself up for disappointment as well.
16:08
So as you transition from task to task in corporate functions—or even if you happen to be the head coach of a football program—make sure you don't have a team that's indifferent to the ultimate mission and overly caught up in merely checking boxes, following some predefined plan, and doing whatever you tell them to do no matter what. Make sure you instead have a team that's ready to adjust and adapt as needed, and that is always looking for ways to improve during each and every transition that occurs on the path to success.
16:33
And while we've been talking about the need for a "transition mindset" in terms of a business, or a football team, or new presidential administration, let's take a step back and look at a much bigger picture: the global energy transition. Because with football teams and companies and governments, there are usually clear leaders with fairly well-defined powers. But with a global energy transition, who's actually in control? Who's actually wielding the power? Who is leading the "transition team," so to speak?
16:57
Do you, whether you're just a consumer of energy or you contribute directly to the energy industry—do you feel like you have control at all over the energy transition? Or is there some vague "transition team" and control that you can't even access necessarily?
17:09
And assuming such a transition team exists, who's on it? Is it individual companies? Because even companies like BP or Shell or Total, who are front and center in the energy transition, there's still a question of how much power they actually have. Who are they relying on for guidance? And BP—who arguably has made the most prominent commitment to the energy transition among major oil and gas companies—well, they get a lot of these types of questions thrown at them.
17:31
And if you're the CEO, Bernard Looney, or even their board of directors, the question then becomes whether their employees and other stakeholders are almost too transition-minded. Have they become too focused on the transition and lost focus on the higher level objectives required to sustain a multinational energy company? Is there a risk that their transition teams have become so focused on moving from A to B that they forget about what happens once the transition is over?
17:52
And just as my discussion of presidential transition teams is meant to be apolitical, this podcast is not meant to criticize or praise companies like BP, but simply to increase awareness in you (the individual listener) for how critical it is to be ready for transition without the transition becoming an end in and of itself.
18:08
Because, remember, all transitions take some amount of energy; and how much energy and resources is a company like BP expending right now to rebrand themselves and "reimagine energy," as they say? And can their stakeholders all point to why they're doing what they're doing? Is it a sense of duty or a sense of responsibility driven by claims that climate change poses an existential threat to humanity? Is it purely a business decision because they can't envision making money as an oil and gas company 20 years from now? Is it because of pressure from government agencies who will remove BP's social license to operate if they don't change their ways?
18:39
Well, the answer to why BP is undergoing this massive "transition of power," if you will, lies in all of those reasons, of course; and we can assume that their leadership is making the best decision possible for all stakeholders.
18:51
But what about major transitions of power in your life that you only have limited control over or that are being influenced by many different people and circumstances, much as the global energy transition—or the impact of COVID-19—is impacting the way in which virtually every public company operates? Can you pinpoint those forces causing you to transition from the way you live your life to something else? If not, have you tried to pinpoint those forces? Have you attempted to determine what's driving you to make the decisions you make?
19:18
If not, then I challenge you to identify who's on your transition team and figure out why they are pushing you in the direction they are. And I challenge you to ask yourself why you're making the transitions you make each day, how much power are you deploying to navigate those transitions, and how much power do you have to avoid unnecessary transitions. And, to the extent you realize that you are going through transitions big and small that just don't seem to make sense, take the time to ask yourself who on your transition team might be sabotaging your desire for long-term success and satisfaction.
19:48
And as we transition into Part 2 of this episode, it's worth noting that every transition can indeed bring you closer to success and happiness, even if others might not see it that way. And in this second chapter of the episode, my goal is to help you establish and maintain a mindset of ever-increasing power during transitions. Because it's easy to focus on the transfer of power that occurs during a transition; and make no mistake, power is often being given away—sometimes a whole bunch of power, as we see with presidential transitions where one side is clearly turning over possession of power to the other side, much like a football team might turn over possession of the ball to the other team.
20:22
And in the case of Trump and Biden, it's pretty straightforward. The elephants, if you will, have possession for four years, and now the donkeys will have possession for the next four years. But remember, my goal today is not to talk about who's got the power or who's got possession of the football. My goal is to talk about the transitions themselves, and the power and energy and control governing those transitions—those in-between moments that are so critical to long term success.
20:46
And what happens during those moments between presidential administrations? What happens during those executive branch transitions? Well, there's a whole lot of jockeying for power, right? People looking for influence; people offering advice and expertise in the hopes of getting a cabinet position or some other appointment...and, in turn, power.
21:02
Politicians have this process down; they know that transitions mean opportunities, and they take full advantage. They might even sell themselves out and kiss some rear end to ensure they get a seat at the table. And I'm not advocating for being a sellout or a kisser of donkeys, of course; I'm merely stating what happens. In fact, members of the team that's turning over the football—in this case, the Republicans—are undoubtedly looking for ways to hold on to some sliver of power or influence, even if it means engaging in a bit of hypocrisy.
And they are huddling together and looking to improve their odds of winning the next election and figuring out ways to capitalize on their silver linings from this election in order to come back stronger than before...because there's clearly an ebb and flow to politics; and politicians know that transitions are times to reposition themselves for the future. And if they truly believe in their platform and their stated intentions, then—much like a football coach who makes sure his team is focused on winning all 4 quarters of a game—smart politicians (to the extent that's not an oxymoron) focus on long-term and sustainable policies and success more so than short-term election victories.
21:59
And at a company, you may see similar things play out, at least depending on how the people in charge happened to be compensated during a company transition. For example, new leadership may show up and old leadership (especially if they don't have a friendly severance package) may start kissing the behinds of the new guard. But is that really a sustainable approach? Is groveling and begging for a position really the best approach for someone who might otherwise have an opportunity to make a fresh start somewhere? Does it make sense to default to trying to hang on when you have a chance to move on to new endeavors?
22:27
Well, obviously each situation is different. But at every level, and during every transition—even ones that are likely to result in a loss of your job and your paycheck and your benefits—you need to be asking how such a transition can increase your power. How might it increase your ability to lead a more fulfilling and successful life?
22:43
And even if you already have this mindset, you certainly want to surround yourself with others who have this mindset, too. And, no, that does not mean you want to have people around you who are always looking for "silver linings" and who are overly positive and optimistic. But you at least want people asking how you might take advantage of every transition, even the ones that appear to be one-sided and negative.
23:01
So, going back to Part 1, you want to make sure you carry with you a "transition team" that has this mindset that you're going to leave every transition with as much power as possible. And the same is true at a company level or even an industry level. So for the ongoing energy transition, for example, companies that have proven successful for decades in terms of making a positive impact on the world and employing new technology and reducing their environmental footprint...are they just going to roll over and give up all of their power that they've established over the years?
23:27
Are they really going to concede that everything they've been doing before should be tossed aside? Are they going to tell the remaining employees that the transition away from clean, cheap, accessible fossil fuels will continue unchecked and unquestioned? No, of course not. Companies and leaders in the industry as a whole do not have to see the ongoing energy transition as a one-way transition of power away from the former dominance of oil and gas companies to a future dominated by renewable energy.
23:51
Rather, companies and the industry as a whole can ask how to regain or obtain power through this transition. And going back to earlier, you could argue that companies like BP are taking this opportunity to snatch up power and separate themselves from others. And perhaps for them, their strategy is giving them the best shot at success. But for all other companies, they need to ensure that they are not necessarily following the lead of others and that they are not offering up unnecessary or premature concessions.
Rather, those companies should ask how their unique position and unique talent and unique assets (to the extent they have unique assets) can position them to have even more power than they may have had before, as crazy as that sounds given the reduced demand for hydrocarbons right now and the accelerating shift away from fossil fuels.
24:33
They have an opportunity to perhaps offer concessions in areas where it makes sense to do so...and where it's the right thing to do. Certainly companies that are recognizing the importance of reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and going "net zero" (at least from their operational activities) is noble and good, but leaders should not act as if they or their organizations are on some terminal decline with no opportunity to boost their production and relevance and profitability, even at a time when so many peers may be tempted to concede and cut their losses.
25:00
And there's obviously no easy answers to anything related to the energy transition or to the year 2020, for that matter; but as is the case in every episode of The Energy Detox, we're at least encouraging you to ask the question...ask whether you are making unnecessary concessions; and ask how you might actually increase your power at a time when it seems like power is slipping through your hands.
25:20
And these questions and this mindset of "increasing power through transitions" can obviously apply in every aspect of your daily life. For instance, if we go back to the example earlier of a bedtime routine, and the attempts to transition some energetic kids to sleep...maybe kids want to stay up for an extra 15 minutes. Well, you could argue that you're not willing to give up your "power" as a parent and, more importantly, those 15 minutes that you need for yourself; and you could fight back.
25:44
Or you could concede that those 15 minutes aren't a big deal, while determining how you might use such a concession to your advantage. Because with kids, it's easy sometimes to go in with a mindset that all they're doing is taking, taking, taking, taking...stealing your energy; stealing your focus; stealing your sanity. And, thinking that kids are always trying to win and that you as a parent are always set up to lose; and that you're always fighting losing battles....well, that's not a good mindset...
...or maybe that's just my mindset after feeling beat down by a pair of two-year-old twins who show zero mercy on me and their older brothers who seem to cheer them on. But, either way, that's not the best mindset. So instead, I at least need to be asking what I might gain from an occasional concession to my children: maybe the kids to stay up for an extra 15 minutes, but they're given some new chore that takes five minutes of that. And maybe that's a new chore that they can start doing everyday moving forward, increasing their responsibilities and decreasing my workload as a parent.
26:34
And again, this might be a silly example (ok, it is a silly example). But in whatever small situation like this you might be facing—even if it feels like you're turning over the football, so to speak—ask what you can do to take advantage of the turnover and gain some long-term power from the situation.
26:50
Another example of this—where transitions can potentially drain your power (and in a very one sided manner)—is channel surfing, which is a constant transition from one channel to the next...one show to the next. And if you don't go into channel surfing with the mindset that you're going to somehow "gain" power through that exercise and maintain control and extract value from the transition you make to the couch, then you're going to concede fully...and you're going to lose...and you're going to most likely waste your time.
27:17
And, of course, thanks to new technology, most people channel surf far less than before as streaming services like Netflix already know what we want to watch...and will put their suggestions front and center on the screen. Heck, they might even start playing it automatically. So modern channel surfing requires even less power and energy than it did before. But one could argue that we as the channel surfers, in turn, have far less power and control than we did before, even if we don't realize it.
27:39
And of course, the same is true beyond TV shows and sporting events and movies, with much of the surfing we do now occurring on our smartphones, scrolling from one post to the next on social media. And instead of transitioning channels, we're transitioning from one app to another app, back and forth. And it seems so easy, right? The power exerted to scroll through social media and transition from thought to thought is pretty minimal.
28:01
But more important than the energy required is that second part of the "transition of power" that we talked about earlier: control...who is in control? Who is exerting power over your time and attention?
28:12
And if you've seen The Social Dilemma on Netflix, you know that most people transitioning from post to post on Facebook or Twitter or LinkedIn, or from video to video on Instagram or TikTok...they're not in control. They're not wielding power. The power lies in the algorithms and in the profit-seeking objectives of the companies who want you glued to your screen as much as possible.
28:30
So what does it all mean? Well, it means that if you transition from whatever productive thing you were doing and decide to transition to your phone for a moment...and if you enter into that transition unaware of how much power that phone has, you're asking for trouble. But if you go into it with the goal of gaining power when you transition from some physical or mental activity that doesn't require a device back to your screen, you might find yourself better off when you eventually transition back to reality and back to real life.
28:55
And clearly, I'm not trying to solve society's collective addiction to social media with this podcast. But I do firmly believe that getting in the habit of recognizing how many transitions you make every day and, in turn, consciously asking how you can profit from each transition and how you can gain power from each transition can help lead you to become a more conscious and intentional and present leader.
29:18
So please try out this mindset next time you find yourself in transition...next time you catch yourself reaching for your phone...next time you're about to scroll through your newsfeed for a bit. Ask yourself how you might gain just a bit more power than you would have otherwise. Ask yourself and see what you come up with. Maybe the answer is to hide updates from certain people moving forward. Maybe it's to take the time to update your settings and turn off notifications (which was one of the major pieces of advice from The Social Dilemma).
29:42
And whatever answers you come up with, acknowledge that the very act of picking up your phone is a potentially disruptive transition that will, in turn, lead to many tiny disruptive transitions as you bounce around. But instead of asking whether you're addicted or wasting time (and inevitably convincing yourself that you're gaining value somehow), simply ask how you can gain more value and more power through such transitions, and see where that leads you.
30:05
Ask yourself, can you use those little transitions of power—and again, I'm arguing that all transitions are essentially transitions of power—to reduce the energy you invest in social media transitions and ultimately increase the power you have over the decision to pick up your phone in the first place.
30:20
And as a final example here in Part 2 where people can really look to gain power from a transition is the loss of a job. And, again, this is a topic we mentioned a few minutes ago; and it's a topic we've covered multiple times on The Energy Detox, particularly in Episode 8, where I spoke about my own career transition. So I'm not going to beat this example to death.
30:37
But losing a job really does lend itself to the question of how you might gain power at a time when many people feel like this transition is draining their energy...and when people who have lost a job might feel like the power driving their transition lies more with corporations doing the firing and the hiring. And obviously, when evaluating a career transition, the energy exerted in this transition and the control that outside forces have on the transition seems far greater than the transition from, say, social media app to app or the transition to bed at night.
31:04
But the same question applies: how can you best use your energy during this transition to gain power and not feel like you're at the mercy of someone else? How can you avoid making unnecessary concessions regarding your supposed lack of qualifications, for example, for some dream job that you might have?
31:20
And if we return for a moment to the football analogies from earlier, go ahead and ask yourself how you could draw up a game plan so that when you do inevitably land a job, and when you do have possession of the football again, that you're ready to march down the field confidently and score a touchdown in this new role and in this new position. And ask yourself how you could reduce the odds of fumbling or of your drive stalling out or having to settle for a field goal instead of getting into the end zone.
31:45
And if you happen to be in the middle of a career transition right now, I want you to pretend that you're the offensive coordinator or the quarterback. And if your team doesn't have the ball right now, what are you doing? Well, I hope that you're taking advantage of this period of transition where you do not have the football to ask how you can gain back power and move forward once you do get the ball back...and to ask how you can shift power and momentum back in your favor, and how your team can transition back to a state where you're more likely to emerge victorious when the final whistle blows.
32:14
And of course, if I'm using a football to describe transitions of power, I'm obviously not terribly interested in talking about "peaceful" transitions because football—at least American football—is anything but peaceful, right? By its nature, its violent; it's based on hard hits and stopping the other side from moving forward. It's about disrupting the other side's plans. And outside of the coin toss at the beginning of the game and maybe shaking hands at the end of the game (at least in pre-COVID times), there isn't a whole lot of "peace" that occurs during the game itself.
32:40
And, so, with this image in mind, let's turn to the third and final part of today's episode where we argue that—while illegal and violent tactics should never be employed—"peaceful" transitions of power should not necessarily be your goal; because a football team expecting and hoping for a peaceful game is probably going to lose!
32:53
Instead, teams need to have a sustainable game plan that ensures they can play all 60 minutes in a way that allows them to endure some injuries and setbacks and turnovers, and regain momentum as needed throughout the contest so that they ultimately emerge with more points than the other side.
33:06
And if we shift back to the presidential transition of power, you might argue that this football analogy starts to deflate a bit because the presidential transition doesn't formally begin until one team has already won the game and gotten more electors (or at least is projected to get more electors) than the other team. So a transition from one administration to another is not so much like a football game because the contest is essentially already decided—at least under normal circumstances.
33:28
But remember, we're not talking so much about the outcome of a transition today as much as the transition itself. And in this year's presidential transition, there are already things going on that some might describe as antagonistic and uncooperative and the very opposite of "peaceful." Some might argue that Trump's legal team requesting recounts and audits and filing lawsuits alleging voter fraud and irregularities is threatening the "peaceful transition of power." And there are complaints that President Trump's refusal to concede is delaying the inevitable and is holding up some of the money that the government sets aside for transitions...and is making it more challenging for the new administration to get to work.
34:01
But the purpose of Part 3 of our conversation is to ask whether a little extra chaos and disruption can wind up making a transition more sustainable than a ho hum peaceful transition. Is it possible that the delays and distractions and investigations into voter fraud and irregularities might make things more sustainable for our government and its hundreds of millions of stakeholders?
34:20
Might a little chaos now ultimately lead to less uncertainty in future elections? Might a little chaos increase confidence that there was not some widespread fraud impacting the election? Could letting the courts do their thing, letting judges determine the merit of different complaints, and figuring out the degree of voting irregularities actually be a good thing for all parties? Because if it turns up some legitimate and material discrepancies, then those are things that can be addressed before the next major election. And if the voting process is found to be incredibly sound, then both sides can focus their energy on other areas. And the point of all this is to ask whether a quick and peaceful concession can be as effective as one with a little bit of discord and disruption and questions.
And to return to sports for a moment, I think it's safe to say that most people hate watching a football game that keeps getting disrupted by replay reviews; it messes with the flow of the game...it slows things down. And one could argue that it would be far more “peaceful” if the call made on the field stood as called and if the game kept moving forward.
35:13
And while some sports purists might long for those days, the reality is that such an approach is arguably unsustainable, especially when everyone knows that we have the technology these days to get the play calls correct. Why unnecessarily increase distrust in officiating crews and create doubt in the outcome of a game when it's possible to embrace disruption and get the outcome (a game that you know was not impacted by bad officiating) that you want?
35:33
Especially when we're talking about professional football—a multi-billion dollar operation—you want to get things right. And a peaceful transition from play to play is not the goal; the goal is for the winner of the game to be decided fairly. And if the peaceful transition is disrupted by the officials reviewing a play or by the opposing coach throwing a challenge flag, then it's for good reason...even if the result isn't changed.
35:53
And this is a lesson you can ask yourself: how often are you too concerned about ensuring a peaceful transition from step to step instead of throwing a challenge flag and introducing a bit of disruption?
36:02
Because if you are a leader—and you have your stakeholders in mind—you sure as heck better be ready to challenge a play and ask for a replay on occasion. And with the presidential election, 150 million people voted—that's 150 million stakeholders. And if some of the peace needs to be disrupted so that those 150 million people (regardless of who they voted for) have as much confidence that the next president was duly elected, then that's not necessarily a bad thing.
36:24
And as with the NFL, if the occasional replay has to disrupt the smooth flow of the game to ensure that teams spending an average of $220 million per year on player salaries know that they didn't win or lose because of some bad call, then messing with the "smooth and peaceful transition" between plays is probably worth it. And, similarly, for multi-billion dollar energy companies who are in a state of transition, simply assuming that they need to do things as peacefully as possible can be an incredibly costly mistake that can taint the results of ongoing transitions, taint the legacies of leaders involved in such transitions, and damage the sustainability of the organization and its stakeholders.
36:59
The "peaceful transition" typically means that executive leadership of the acquiring company stays in place as those who were acquired sail off into the sunset. And obviously, for individual employees, there may not be much peace; but collectively people know what's coming. They expect it; and as much as it might stink, they typically can see that their time is coming to an end, and they start preparing to transition to something else.
37:20
But what if such corporate transitions were not peaceful? What if they were a bit rockier? What if management at every level felt tremendous discomfort and discord throughout? What if it were not a foregone conclusion that management from either company remained? What if during a merger or acquisition entirely new and independent leaders were brought in?
37:35
Well, obviously, if you have two companies with overlapping talent and cultures and strategies, it would seem foolish and costly to do anything other than simply choosing the best talent from the combined pool. And, certainly, in a true merger, companies look to retain the best of the best while striving as much for continuity and peace as possible.
37:50
But again, what if throughout that transition, it were not merely a question of determining whether Company A is doing something better or whether Company B is doing something better and choosing from one of those two options? What if, in the midst of a major corporate transition, people decided to introduce some chaos and disruption and explore whether there might be some third option that would be best as the new entity moves forward?
38:11
Again, this might be a somewhat laughable hypothetical situation, but during a multi-billion dollar transaction, why is the default approach to choose from Company A, Company B, or some hybrid of the two instead of looking outside of both companies for the most sustainable choice? Well, I'll tell you why. Because it's easier to limit yourself to what's in front of you. It's cheaper—at least in the short term—and it's typically far more "peaceful" to only upset one half of the parties and not risk upsetting everybody.
But again, a peaceful transition is NOT the goal. A sustainable transition is the goal.
38:41
And for anyone listening who has led the integration of companies, please know that I'm not dismissing the complexities entailed with merging two sets of people, cultures, policies, and assets. In fact, having seen firsthand the effort that goes into A&D (acquisition & divestiture) activities, I can't say enough about the people tasked with managing major integrations and major separations of assets. And while every transaction looks different, of course, the unenviable people tasked with managing such activities face not only strict timelines, but a whole host of logistical, technical, and personnel-related challenges.
39:09
So I'm not sure it would necessarily be wise to listen to some guy like me just casually suggesting on a podcast that those managing the nitty gritty work associated with M&A (mergers & acquisitions) activity simply add in an "Option C" to the thousands of decisions that have to be made under what can be relatively short and intense timelines.
39:25
But that being said, the reality is that there's often no better time than a transition to add in a little extra pain and make sure that the end result is sustainable, even if it is a bit more chaotic or costs a bit more money or takes a little extra time. Hitting timelines is laudable and important, but it's not nearly as important as setting yourself up for success in the months and years following the close of a major transaction.
39:48
So again, as we think about transitions, I'm merely suggesting that you at least ask whether the smoothest and most peaceful transitions necessarily translate into the most sustainable transitions. And as I just said, I've seen complicated transitions and transactions play out as an employee. And I've been fortunate to be on both sides of a corporate transition within a short two year period.
40:10
And if you're not familiar with the EQT and Rice Energy story (or saga), the very high level summary is that EQT acquired Rice Energy in 2017. And in 2019, some of Rice Energy's former leadership successfully launched a takeover of EQT. In fact, their takeover bid was so successful that they won a higher percentage of shareholder votes than Thomas Jefferson did in 1804, when his 73% of the popular vote was the highest percentage ever won by a presidential candidate.
40:35
Anyway, without getting into the details of the EQT transitions of power, it's safe to say that you see a whole lot of human nature taking hold during such situations. And by that I mean you see lots of people defaulting to the idea that either Company A or Company B has the "right" answer. And as with a presidential election, any third party options can easily be set aside in the interest of practicality.
40:55
And whether we're dealing with corporate politics or national politics, it's natural for people to become a bit polarized; but polarization is not necessarily inconsistent with a peaceful transition. In fact, the most peaceful approach sometimes is to have leaders make a decision—whether it's right or wrong—so that things keep on moving forward. And this oversimplified (yet expedient) approach might temporarily upset one side or the other, but at the end of the day, life will go on, the transition will continue, and peace will have appeared to have won out.
41:20
But again, is this peaceful polarization approach really what's best for stakeholders? In politics, most people would probably agree that, "No...option A and B often both stink to high heavens!" But yet we wind up picking the lesser of two evils and peacefully going about our business.
41:35
And just as this "polarized progression" plays out in corporations and governments, the same polarization applies to the ongoing energy transition occurring within the oil and gas industry...and seemingly in almost every industry and public company and government body around the world. And this polarization stems from an oversimplification that we warned against in Episode 15.
41:53
A polarized view of the energy transition comes from a oversimplified understanding. And that understanding treats the energy transition as a mere shift from fossil fuels to renewables, as if it's that straightforward; and as if it's that black and white; and as if it's simply a "transition" from A to B, and that the smoother and quicker and more peaceful we can make that transition happen, the better it will be for planet Earth and its nearly 8 billion inhabitants.
42:14
And the temptation for those who take that simplistic approach can be to demonize and vilify anyone who questions certain elements of the transition. It can seem as if people who question whether climate change is really the existential threat we're told it is are labeled as "climate deniers." Or, if you simply question whether any negative unintended (or under-reported) consequences of going all-in on CO2 reductions might actually outweigh the benefits, then you might be falsely called "anti-science" or "naïve" or "greedy" or a "conspiracy theorist."
42:42
Now, as with politics, I like to think that most people are happy to at least have a private conversation that addresses the merits of such questions. But publicly, you don't often see such middle ground. And as discussed at length in Episode 15, if your view of sustainability is too narrow and doesn't entertain tough questions and arguments against your position, then your position may, ironically, not be as sustainable as you would have thought.
43:03
And so what I'm saying here is not that the energy transition is inherently bad, of course; in fact, for the sake of argument, let's assume that carbon neutrality and a complete abandonment of fossil fuels should be a top goal for humanity. And if you firmly believe that the rapid and complete transition away from oil and natural gas is good and moral and necessary and urgent, then I'm still gonna argue that you should not necessarily want a "peaceful transition." You should not want every government and company leader in lockstep. In fact, you should want as many people as possible challenging the merits of the transition and asking questions and making sure we're not missing something that could ultimately lead to unsustainable results.
43:38
That does not mean you want people sabotaging your efforts or spreading lies and misinformation. That does not mean you want people actively working against technologies that can make solar and wind and geothermal energy more reliable, accessible, and economic than they are now. But you do not want an entire generation blindly thinking that we have the answers to climate change in 2020. And you should want people to at least be questioning whether we are really on the right track and whether all of this effort is really going to make a meaningful difference to humanity in 30 years...or even 300 years.
44:06
Because just as there is no perfect politician or party platform out there, there is no perfect energy source out there right now either. And the failure to recognize the trade-offs and limitations of every energy source being developed right now can result in unsustainable results, even if it's tempting to go all-in and take one side or the other for the sake of short-term peace and harmony.
44:25
And if you happen to be a part of a traditional energy company dealing with the implications of the energy transition, do not feel as though you need to automatically concede defeat for the sake of having a peaceful energy transition that might not actually be as sustainable as many energy transition cheerleaders make it out to be (and that certainly might not be sustainable for your many stakeholders, be they employees, investors, or the communities that your current work supports).
44:48
And, yes, asking unpopular questions can be difficult when it feels like everyone is hopping on board. And, yes, for companies under intense pressure to transition away from fossil fuels, going as "green" as possible and completely reinventing yourself like BP has done is arguably the most "peaceful" approach. But is it the most sustainable approach? And are leaders in those companies asking all of the questions to challenge the motivation behind their transition—inevitable and compelling as it may seem at the moment?
45:13
And again, going back to politics—and as we've seen from the aftermath of this year's presidential election—there are people from across the political spectrum who argue that it's good that teams of lawyers are asking questions right now—as off the wall as some of those questions might seem—because asking such questions (even if it means a few more headaches and time and money and energy and uncertainty) will allow both the winning side and the losing side to move forward in a much more definitive manner.
45:37
And the same is true when it comes to the energy transition, during which leaders have an obligation to themselves and their stakeholders to at least ask whether the overwhelming narrative around the urgency of the energy transition might be incomplete.
45:48
And, so, the point is to ask questions that might introduce a bit of turbulence; expect—and demand—that transitions be a little rocky; and don't just strive for peaceful transitions, but sustainable transitions.
46:01
And do this in your everyday life, as well. Carry this mindset into all that you do. And obviously, that does not mean you need to go through your life as an agitator of some sort. And it doesn't mean that you should have to be subjected to constant resistance from your stakeholders; but at least ask whether a little resistance, a little discord, and a few extra headaches might lead to the best long-term results.
46:19
And so, as we wrap up Part 3 of today's conversation, let's go back to one area of your personal life we brought up a few times already today: the transition to sleep at the end of the day. And if you've ever tried to get young kids who are inclined to fight sleep to go to bed, you may know that the most peaceful transition would be to sit with them for an hour or two reading story after story until they fall asleep, and then placing them in their crib and tiptoeing out of the room.
46:42
Well, that's definitely "peaceful." And with our first child, my wife and I did far more of those "peaceful" transitions than I'd care to admit. But obviously a one or two hour peaceful transition and bedtime is not sustainable. Investing that much time and energy into a bedtime routine would be great if that's all my wife and I had to do each day; but, of course, that's not the case. And now that we have a pair of two-year-old twins that we have to transition to bed each night, our family really can't afford some ultra-long and drawn out transition to bed at the end of every day.
47:08
So what do you do? Well, with the ultimate goal of a sustainable bedtime routine in mind, you recognize that you may have to endure several nights of non-peaceful transitions; you might need some nights where there's a bit of crying and fussing where you have to cut them off at 3 stories and not the 20 stories that they are demanding; you may not be able to lie in bed next to them until you wind up falling asleep—often before the kids actually do.
47:29
And as rough as it can be to manage the tantrums of a toddler who doesn't want to go to bed, getting into a consistent bedtime routine is obviously best for both parties. But it often requires some chaos, some yelling, some trial and error. And while those transitions might be anything but peaceful, you eventually get to the point where everyone is getting more rest and has more energy and is happier and healthier.
47:46
And as a leader, you need to decide whether you value peace over a bit of fruitful chaos. You need to decide whether you want to ignore the smoothest approach and instead throw yourself and your stakeholders into a battle of sorts that might be a bit messy.
48:00
Of course, if we want to talk about messy transitions, why not build upon the bedtime routine analogy and introduce a discussion on the toddler transition from diapers to underwear; because for some families, there might not be a transition messier than potty training.
48:13
And when parents—the leaders of a family—are deciding whether it's time to begin potty training, they ask: 1) how much energy will be involved, and 2) is their child ready to be in control of this situation?
48:26
And when it's clear that the "juice is indeed worth the squeeze," and that it's time for a potentially warlike transition, parents ultimately decide to jump in, fully conscious and completely focused on the end result, no matter how challenging the transition might be. Because the "peaceful" thing to do might be to just keep your children in diapers as long as possible. But, again, that is often not practical or sustainable.
Potty training is one of several messy transitions that parents and children (and pets) go through…and it’s an example of times where sustainability and long-term success might require a “non-peaceful” transition.
And, so, parents ultimately make the intentional decision to jump into potty training and push through whatever messes are necessary to get through to the other side and achieve their ultimate objective. And during those times when parents might find themselves sitting on the bathroom floor encouraging or bribing their children, or perhaps cleaning up an accident (that inevitably happens in the nicest room in the house and at the most inopportune time), it's a great opportunity to remember why you're going through a transition that might not be terribly peaceful and to put on your innovation cap and explore ways to make the transition as successful as possible.
49:18 (RSG - Renewable Natural Gas)
And, as an aside, while my wife and I can't yet claim any success from our ongoing attempt to potty train our twins, I can at least say that this experience and this transition, if you will, has given me plenty of time to think about the ways that biomass and renewable natural gas could play an ever-increasing role in fueling the energy transition.
Potty training cows—who defecate up to 16 times per day!—may be one innovative step towards capturing renewable natural gas and fighting climate change (image courtesy of https://kidsbaron.com/product/cute-cow-potty)
In fact, one day while thinking about the connection between my children and the growing biogas industry, I was pleasantly surprised after some googling of "potty training cows" that there really are innovators out there doing the same thing my wife and I are doing...except on a much larger and messier scale.
49:53
And, of course, we're not actually trying to use our children's biomass production to generate natural gas…but anyway...all that being said, and now that I've transitioned this podcast into a conversation about pooping children and livestock—the latter of which I'll be sure to link up in the show notes—it's probably a good time to bring things to a close by recapping the three major questions I'm encouraging you to consider as you navigate personal and professional transitions:
1) Is your transition team helping you reach your ultimate destination?
2) How might you increase power, even when you're in the process of turning the football over to another team? And...
3) Are you placing too much emphasis on leading a "peaceful" transition and missing out on the benefits that come from a little chaos and disruption?
50:34
And with those three questions in mind, please remember that almost every transition is a “transition of power”: the power and energy required to execute the transition and the power and control that drives the logistics and priorities of every transition—both big and small.
50:48
And so as you identify transitions throughout your day, picture how much energy you're expending and how much control you have over those transitions. And really start paying attention to the high number of transitions where you may not be exerting much energy, but where you might also not be exerting much control either...because it's easy to spend lots of time talking about big transitions—like those related to presidential administrations or corporate acquisitions or career changes or the global energy transition—but it's those smaller transitions that can have the most significant and lasting impact on your success and become the biggest impediment to a purposeful, productive, and peaceful future.
51:24
And on that note, the final question to ask yourself today is:
"How might I unwittingly be conceding control over the transitions governing my day and sabotaging my ability to transition to a more sustainable future?"
51:38
And as you ponder that, please allow me your grateful host, Joe Sinnott, to thank you for listening today, especially those of you who had to fight the desire to transition into an unconscious state over the last 50 minutes or so.
And for more information about The Energy Detox and the work I do to fuel conscious, intentional, and sustainable leaders, please visit us at theenergydetox.com.
And until next time, please keep looking for opportunities to flush away the toxic transitions that might be governing your life.
Thanks again.