The power of teamwork at IADC: fostering unity and collective action

By Jason McFarland, IADC President

With a high-functioning team, anything is possible. In his book “Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t,” Simon Sinek dives into the importance of teamwork and how to create cooperative groups that get things done. “The strength and endurance of a company does not come from products or services but from how well their people pull together,” he states.

How does that happen? How do we build successful and efficient teams? According to Mr Sinek, it’s “by giving people a sense of belonging. By offering a strong culture based on a clear set of human values and beliefs. By giving them the power to make decisions. By offering trust and empathy.” In doing so, a culture of safety and inclusion is facilitated, which naturally lends itself to greater sharing of ideas and increased willingness to work together.

The amount of teamwork and the quality of collaboration I see at IADC impresses me on a regular basis. Despite working for different companies, people in this industry know how to pull together for a collective cause and how to place the common welfare of the industry above their own personal gain.

This building of trust and cooperation happens in a variety of areas and on multiple levels within this great association. Our members come together and take charge on various issues in order to ensure the continuous advancement of the drilling industry. That is both the why and the how of IADC’s existence.

An excellent example of this is the US-based advocacy efforts of our Government and Industry Affairs team. In April, a team of approximately 20 IADC members and representatives gathered to fly to Washington, DC, and meet with key legislators and decision makers to communicate collective concerns, experiences and opportunities. This team worked diligently to form powerful unified messaging and show up as a united force in order to advocate for fair and sensible legislation.

The power of teamwork is also evident in other areas of the world, where our regional chapters and representatives work together to address challenges at a local level. Members come together to tackle issues regarding everything from MODU classifications and rig intake processes to maritime law and mental health concerns.

Another place where I see massive amounts of teamwork year in and year out is at IADC’s global conferences. We host approximately 16 conferences all around the world every year, and our teams do a fantastic job of ensuring everything runs smoothly. Program committees are formed for specific conferences, where IADC members work together — often over the course of an entire year — to carefully curate a robust lineup of presentations and activities.

Continued workforce development

Crucial to IADC’s mission is the continuous development of our industry’s workforce. Through collaborative efforts, our members contribute their expertise to IADC’s accreditation and training programs. Teams of professionals work together to create industry-leading curricula, examinations and skills assessments that help raise the bar for safety and competency across the global drilling sector.

An initiative is currently under way to restructure the platform of the Knowledge Retention & Education for our Workforce (KREW) system. This shift would enable IADC to create, streamline and own the educational content within KREW, as opposed to each accredited training provider developing their own content. Members of the WellSharp Advisory Panel have been diligently working to explore options toward this end.

Also in the realm of the industry’s workforce, IADC’s Student Chapter program and Young Professionals Committee provide excellent growth and development opportunities for the new generations. IADC members volunteer to speak at various Student Chapter events, offer facility and rig tours, and connect with students attending IADC conferences. The Young Professionals Committee recently held its latest Luncheon with Leaders event, which was organized and run by members. The event included a panel of industry leaders from five member companies who shared their experiences on balancing parenthood and career.

IADC committees allow for extensive collaboration and teamwork among members. Each of our 17 committees has a unique area of focus and relies on the knowledge and proficiency of volunteer subject matter experts to take measures on pertinent matters.

In his book, Mr Sinek goes on to say, “We cannot tell people to trust us. We cannot instruct people to come up with big ideas. And we certainly can’t demand that people cooperate. These are always results — the results of feeling safe and trusted among the people with whom we work.” This sentiment truly encapsulates the spirit of teamwork and collaboration that I witness at IADC on a daily basis.

Through fostering a culture of trust, empowerment and a shared sense of purpose, IADC has cultivated a unique environment where members eagerly work together to drive the industry forward. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it a thousand times: Everything we accomplish at IADC is only possible because of our members.

Members are the why, the how and the who behind every initiative, every project and every single thing we do. It is the spirit of unity and collective action that makes this association such a powerful force for positive change. DC