True leadership transcends title
By Jason McFarland, IADC President
If you’ve worked in this industry long enough, you know that the only constant is that it’s forever changing. Market prices, mergers, new technology, new members of the workforce, standards and best practices, fluctuating cycles — there is always something shifting and evolving. One thing that can remain constant and make a big difference, even in the most turbulent of times, is great leadership.
At the recent IADC Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Naples, Florida, Patterson-UTI COO Mike Holcomb mentioned that he’s had a lot of bosses in his career, but has only worked for about five good leaders. This had me thinking about the fact that a leader and a boss or manager are not necessarily the same thing.
I’ve known many great leaders throughout my professional journey. One of them is my long-time mentor, Ken Fischer, whom I wrote about earlier this year in my story for the “Many Stories, One Voice” anniversary campaign. Ken inspired me when, among other things, he listed out the attributes of someone who could be in a position of leadership, including things like vision, management and technical competency. Managing or being responsible for people is an important skill, and yet there’s so much more that goes into being an effective leader.
In my mind, being a good leader boils down to looking after your people, listening to them and empowering them. It means realizing that your job isn’t about you — it’s about your team and ensuring they have the resources to do their jobs well. Solid leaders are honest and transparent, and they keep their commitments. At the end of the day, it’s about taking none of the credit – and all of the blame – when necessary.
There was a panel discussion at AGM exploring insights and perspectives across the professional spectrum — from an IADC Student Chapter member all the way to a C-suite executive. During this panel, the idea was brought up that leadership doesn’t actually have anything to do with someone’s title. Just because someone has a leadership position doesn’t necessarily mean that they know how to really lead; and just because someone isn’t a manager or “leader” doesn’t mean they can’t positively influence those around them.
I’ve always imagined that an organization chart flipped upside down would be just as important as right side up. Much of an organization’s responsibilities actually rest with the people traditionally located toward the bottom of the chart. Early on in my career, my aforementioned mentor, Ken, gave me an article titled “Association Management Adages & Aphorisms.” It contains so much useful information packed into a few pages, and one of my favorite suggestions reads: “The most creative ideas often come from the newest volunteer or staff member, because they don’t know what can’t be done. Listen to everyone.” The opportunity to learn and gain new insights can come from literally anyone and anywhere, if we can keep our minds open to that possibility.
Good leaders, wherever they reside on the org chart, can have a positive impact on the overall culture of a business or industry. According to an article on the Great Place to Work website, “Too often, company culture is presented as flashy perks: free lunches, unlimited time off, and dog-friendly offices, but the substance of a strong culture lies not in these amenities, but rather in how employees are valued, trusted and encouraged to develop both professionally and personally.” Inspiring and supporting each other in the workplace is accessible to everyone, regardless of one’s position or title.
While I’ve been discussing leadership in terms of individuals, I think these ideas can also extend to organizations and businesses. Some of the attributes of a great leader I listed above could also apply to IADC — we know that this organization isn’t about us as the association staff, but it is absolutely about the members we serve. We look out for our members and do everything within our means to empower them and provide them with the resources they need to make lasting change in our industry. And we don’t want the credit because, frankly, it doesn’t belong to us. It belongs to all of you.
As we move forward into an increasingly complex and rapidly evolving industry landscape, the need for authentic leadership has never been more critical. The challenges we face — whether workforce transitions, market volatility or unpredictable circumstances — demand leaders who can navigate uncertainty while keeping their teams grounded and motivated. True leaders don’t just react to change; they help their people understand it, adapt to it and, ultimately, thrive through it. They create environments where innovation is encouraged and every voice has value.
Leadership isn’t something reserved for those with corner offices or impressive titles — it’s a choice we make every day in how we show up for our colleagues, our teams and our industry. True success is measured not by personal accolades, but by the growth and achievements of those we encourage. That’s the leadership that will carry us through whatever challenges and opportunities lie ahead.
In our annual operational summary beginning on Page 38, we’ll be sharing some of IADC’s key activities from the past year. Each of these efforts required exactly the kind of leaders described, and I’m grateful to everyone involved for their time, energy and passion. DC
