Michele McNichol doesn’t believe in glass ceilings. She does the believe in the industry’s success depending on its ability to foster a boundless “engineering curiosity”.
The industry leader, who was recently named Wood Group Mustang’s first woman chief executive, has learned how to command the boardroom table.
But for the mom-of-three her engineering curiosity was nurtured around the family table.
The company leader credits her father’s career in the sector for piquing her interest.
“The thing that was inspiring to me was seeing how proud he was of the contribution he was making to our industry and the life long relationships he built throughout his career,” she said.
“Seeing all of that I thought that’s what I really want to do.”
She later trained to become a process engineer – the title ‘chief executive’ far from her radar.
A set of influential mentors, an appetite for challenges and the courage to ask for what she wanted later saw her take up the role.
“No career goes without people who change its course,” she said.
“Early on I met someone who changed the course of my career the most. There were two things he said to me. He said never be afraid to make a change if you need to make a change. The other thing that he told me, and probably the thing that stuck with me the most is that you can never lose your engineering curiosity.
“He said if you ever lose that you need to make a change because you’re in the wrong job. He told me that nearly 30 years ago and I still remember that like yesterday.”
The advice was the motivating factor behind Michele switching from process engineering to project management.
The industry veteran found a home with Wood Group Mustang where her first project was BP’s mammoth Thunderhorse.
She said: “It was little daunting if I’m honest. It was daunting thing to say, ‘Am I ready for that’, because it was so new. But I was up for the challenge.
“I’ve done a lot of amazing projects. Thunderhorse I learned from more than any other project.
“We were about half way through detailed design when I took over. We then finished detailed design and got it offshore when a hurricane came through and changed our world dramatically.”
The firm had de-manned the platform in the run-up to Hurricane Dennis. Members of the team were on a helicopter flying back to the installation when they realised Thunderhorse was listing and there was no place to land.
She added: “In 2005 we had to rebuild some equipment and wiring.. There was a lot debate around towing it back in and rebuilding near shore. BP made the decision they were going to do it offshore so it became this logistical challenge of managing 700 people working 24 hours a day.
“It was quite the learning experience.
“It was that kind of time when it calls on every bit of your leadership ability to keep calm, keep a team together and stay focused on the goal.
“We had a year to get it rebuilt and go online. A lot of people looked at that and thought it was impossible to do that offshore. But our team, working very closely with BP’s team and various other contractors, just broke it down into the order it had to happen in.
“We actually finished two day early, which was almost anti-climatic. We got to August first and were like okay we’re already done. It just speaks to the fact that when you’re aligned on a goal and have people working together on a common objective you can achieve amazing things.”
Leadership experience in challenging times would equip Michele with the tools to fulfil a series of leadership roles including her .
Most recently she was forced to make some incredibly difficult people decisions, including redundancies.
However, the 25-year veteran, explained the critical need to ensure the company’s long term longevity.
“When I explain this to staff they say we’re a people focussed company why are we having to let people go, but it’s about just that,” she said.
“It’s about being here when the next rebound occurs. You’ve got to have the longevity to sustain the organisation so we’re here when the next upturn comes and we’ll bring everyone back.
“But it’s a tough one when you’re the guy on the receiving end of the ‘I’m sorry there’s not enough work’.
“I get that and we do take that personally. We hate to see good people go.”
Michele said she’s now focused on ensuring the business is running as efficiently and as effectively as a possible so it’s poised and waiting when the next up-cycle hits.
She said: “It’s about taking advantage of this downturn to make sure that our company is as efficient and effective as possible.”
However if it weren’t for Michele’s courage to speak up she may have missed out on future leadership roles including position as President of Mustang’s Offshore Business Unit.
“They were looking to the outside to hire a president,” she added.
“I wanted to be president and I made that known. My only comment was I’m great if you hire somebody from the outside just make sure it’s someone I can learn from. I don’t want to have to teach them this business, because if you’re going to that I rather you give me the position.”
Ten candidates later and the interview panel realised Michele would have to teach something to each and everyone of them.
After fufilling a number of roles she was later named chief executive.
Michele’s mom was the first to know.
But for Michele it wasn’t a ‘breaking the glass ceiling’ moment. Simply a culmination of a lot of hard work.
“Glass ceiling – I don’t want to say it’s a cop out because I know it’s real for some people – but if I look at my experience a question I rather be asked is so ‘How did you get here?’ as opposed to being focused on ‘How come that barrier didn’t stop you?’.
“You can get yourself believing that there is this artificial barrier if you want to. I just chose never to believe that that existed – that enough handwork would meet opportunity and I would get career I wanted out of this.
“It’s about perspective.”
A perspective the industry desperately must change – if it’s going to attract the young talent it needs, according to the chief executive.
Too many young people believe the sector is a ‘dying industry’, Michele said.
“The energy industry for our lifetime and our children’s and beyond is going nowhere,” she added.
“Dependence on oil and gas is here for the long haul but we haven’t done a good job as an industry to keep that message upfront.”
When she’s not in the office Michele juggles schedules of her three children.
“It’s about deciding what’s important,” she said.
“I was homeroom mom for my daughter when she was in elementary school and they had two parities a year for Christmas and Valentines day. Those were on my calendar and they were non negotiable. I never missed one.”
In fact there’s very little she’s missed. Instead, Michele has been able to travel the world, foster strong friendships and constantly feed her engineering curiosity.
She said: “This is a great industry. I look at what I’ve been able to do in my career – I’ve been all over the world, I’ve worked on world class projects, I’ve met the smartest people on the planet – who wouldn’t want to be in an industry that does that?
“When I can’t think of anymore ways to influence people and keep the business moving forward and growing I know I’ll be done.
“I hope that day doesn’t come.”
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