INDUSTRY NEWS
T
he Petroplan MD emphasized
that being a technical expert
‘will only get you so far’ in the
oil and gas world and suggested that
the soft skills outlined above were re-
quired to secure top brass jobs in the
industry. “To grow your career into
managerial and executive roles it’s all
about your ability to manage, moti-
vate and influence people,” Rothwell
said. “It’s about learning from good
and bad managers and co-workers,
being honest with yourself and seek-
ing out opportunities to develop the
skills that don’t come naturally to
you,” he added.
Melinda Barton, president of LT
Global Staffing, agreed with the no-
tion that effective team working skills
and good time management were
among the most important soft skills
for oil and gas workers. “When em-
ployees are in an environment where
everyone is out for themselves, there
is always conflict and discord. Hav-
ing employees that are all working
together for the success of the com-
pany not only helps the company
succeed, but also fosters better unity
among the employees,” Barton told
Rigzone. “Time management is also
key as many projects in the oil and
gas industry are time sensitive, and
management relies on employees to
get projects done in a timely man-
ner,” Barton added. The president of
the Houston based company, which
specializes in professional staffing for
the oil and gas industry, also believes
that flexibility, positivity and profes-
sionalism are important traits that oil
and gas professionals should keep on
their radar.
“Employers need and want employ-
ees who can make changes and/
or adjust when the company goals
change … Companies [also] need
employees who are positive, opti-
mistic and enthusiastic … Even one
employee who is negative, disgrun-
tled, angry and unhappy can cause
discord in the workplace,” Barton
stated.
By Andreas Exarheas of Rigzone
VOLUME
Which Soft Skills Are Most
Important for Oil & Gas
Professionals?
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