Emerging Leaders Alliance - The Application of Salient Learnings In Corporate Organizations

Abstract

The Society of Petroleum Engineers has actively participated in the Emerging Leaders Alliance (ELA) for 9 years since its inception in 2008. Through a stipend obtained from the SPE International Young Member Programs Budget, 86 young members have had the opportunity to attend the multiple day ELA. Attendees of the ELA are primarily early career leaders with management potential from the nine partner societies. Though topics stay relevant through a continuous improvement process, this paper will specifically address three topics from the 2016 ELA which were deemed most relevant to the authors: Performance Management, Emotional Quotient (EQ), and Technical to Managerial Transitions. The paper will discuss the significance, development and proposed protocol of performance management, whether if professionals are in the conducting or receiving end. The paper will also cover the roles of emotional quotient, or EQ, across technical and managerial positions for professionals of all levels of experience. Finally, the paper will cover when industry professionals should consider the transition from technical to management if they are interested. Interviewees included in the paper discuss how prioritizing these topics set themselves for successful careers. The interviewees will span a wide range of experience levels to display the relevance and application of the chosen topics despite one's career path. Young professionals should consider the three topics emphasized in the paper, as these are commonly overlooked or not prioritized. Proactiveness as early as possible on the topics discussed in this paper could increase professionals' chances of having a successful career. Professionals should also recognize that leaders and whom they supervise hold equal accountability to make the applications of performance management, emotional quotient and the technical to management transition conducive to the workplace.