Line of Sight Leadership

By Michael Bethea, CEO, Offshore Technical Compliance

Longtime petroleum engineer and founder of Offshore Technical Compliance, Bill Bethea, recently relayed a tidbit of advice to me that bears repeating.

He said, “When I worked for Texaco back in the 60s and 70s, we would form interdisciplinary teams to evaluate operations with the goal of finding efficiencies that could be duplicated throughout the company. Along the way, we discovered something very interesting. The presence of an audit member with a notepad and pencil at rig sites increased efficiencies by a measurable 10 percent. We didn’t have to uncover any hidden gems. We didn’t have to ask a lot of questions. Someone just had to be present and watching. The mere presence of someone watching the work in the field increased efficiency by 10 percent.”

I love this story because it’s true. Common sense tells us the value of “Line of Sight” leadership goes well beyond short-term increases in efficiency. It’s truly the only way to build a culture of success. To be clear, I’m not talking about micromanaging. I’m talking about leadership.  Line of sight leadership sends a symphony of messages to employees, contractors and customers. Here are just a few I have witnessed over the years:

• I Care. Routinely checking on job status directly by leadership sends a clear message.  It says, “We are tuned in.” A good example is daily reports. When top leadership participates in daily reports and asks questions, it guarantees focus in the field. It tells field staff that the job they are doing is critically important.
• I Understand. The farther you are away from an object, the more difficult it is to see. More importantly, it is impossible to hear, smell, touch or taste. You get the idea. Regardless of what it is, you will know infinitely more about the situation if you are present. This does not mean all the time. It means enough to be knowledgeable and current.
• You are Important. When knowledgeable leaders are present, they listen. The best way to make decisions is to be informed. Listening is being informed. Listening says, “You are important.”
• I Share. The big picture can often be difficult to see from the ground. Good leaders share vision. This helps everyone see how their contribution ties into the big picture. This creates a culture of success.

At OTC, we live by line of sight leadership. It’s the shortest distance between two very important points – satisfied customers and a motivated workforce that embraces a culture of success.

Follow CEO Mike Bethea on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-bethea-59ba141/