Beyond Engineering By Dr. Mike O’Connor P.Eng., P.Geo., P.Geoph. Presented at the Queen’s Oil...
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Transcript of Beyond Engineering By Dr. Mike O’Connor P.Eng., P.Geo., P.Geoph. Presented at the Queen’s Oil...
Beyond EngineeringBeyond EngineeringByBy
Dr. Mike O’Connor P.Eng., P.Geo., P.Geoph.Dr. Mike O’Connor P.Eng., P.Geo., P.Geoph.
Presented at the Queen’s Oil and Gas SeminarPresented at the Queen’s Oil and Gas SeminarJanuary 24, 2009January 24, 2009
O’CONNOR ASSOCIATES Z
Grad School Government Business
Sc’09
You may think that these You may think that these decisions will impact your decisions will impact your
life forever…life forever…
That they’ll put you in a career That they’ll put you in a career tunnel from which you can’t tunnel from which you can’t
escapeescape
Nothing could be Nothing could be further from the further from the
truthtruth
Any Any thoughtfulthoughtful moves you make moves you make today or tomorrow will likelytoday or tomorrow will likely
Increase your skill setIncrease your skill setBuild your personal networkBuild your personal networkMake you more matureMake you more matureGive you a clearer perspective of Give you a clearer perspective of your short and long-term optionsyour short and long-term options
But they are unlikely But they are unlikely to constrain your to constrain your
future options, either future options, either in your personal or in your personal or
professional lifeprofessional life
Engineering Geology and Geophysics
How does one getHow does one get
to here?to here?from here?from here?
+ 40 years+ 40 years
Looking back one Looking back one thing is clear…thing is clear…
We are unable to predict the We are unable to predict the future with the same degree of future with the same degree of
confidence that we apply to confidence that we apply to engineering and business engineering and business
calculationscalculations
We are particularly bad We are particularly bad at predicting certain at predicting certain
things:things:
And yet our initial career And yet our initial career decision is often based on decision is often based on
3 factors:3 factors:
Starting salaryStarting salary
Job locationJob location
Current relationshipsCurrent relationships
Example #1Example #1Ken turned down a great job in Calgary Ken turned down a great job in Calgary because his girlfriend was going to because his girlfriend was going to graduate school in Ottawa and he graduate school in Ottawa and he couldn’t bear to be without her for a couldn’t bear to be without her for a couple of semesters.couple of semesters.
She dumped him for her lab partner in She dumped him for her lab partner in the first termthe first term..
ExampleExample #2 #2
Joe started at a big company for Joe started at a big company for $5000 per month and lots of $5000 per month and lots of perksperks
Sarah joined a small company for Sarah joined a small company for $3000 per month and no perks$3000 per month and no perks
After 15 yearsAfter 15 yearsJoe is a middle manager making $120,000 Joe is a middle manager making $120,000 per yearper year
His career has stagnated and he’s afraid of His career has stagnated and he’s afraid of being laid off during the recessionbeing laid off during the recession
Sarah is the CEO of a growing company that Sarah is the CEO of a growing company that paid her a $500,000 bonus last yearpaid her a $500,000 bonus last year
She’s strategizing ways to expand the She’s strategizing ways to expand the company in spite of the recessioncompany in spite of the recession
Example #3Example #3Dick had 3 good job offers after graduation. Dick had 3 good job offers after graduation. He accepted the job in Toronto so that he He accepted the job in Toronto so that he could remain near his family and friends.could remain near his family and friends.
He did well in the company and moved up He did well in the company and moved up rapidly, but then the company was sold to an rapidly, but then the company was sold to an American firm with a head office in American firm with a head office in MississippiMississippi
He was given a choice of move or quitHe was given a choice of move or quit
Bottom LineBottom LineIt’s very difficult to envisage where It’s very difficult to envisage where your career path may ultimately leadyour career path may ultimately lead
Be prepared to adapt and change as Be prepared to adapt and change as circumstances may dictatecircumstances may dictate
Treat all experiences as opportunities Treat all experiences as opportunities to grow and learnto grow and learn
Sc’68 ReunionSc’68 Reunion
TeacherTeacher
Professional Professional photographerphotographer
Civil gradCivil grad
MBAMBA
Entire career spent Entire career spent at Esso as senior at Esso as senior executive in jobs executive in jobs around the worldaround the world
14 int’l moves,6 14 int’l moves,6 countriescountries
Civil gradCivil gradRhodes Scholar in same Rhodes Scholar in same class as Bill Clintonclass as Bill ClintonMasters in Management Masters in Management Studies from OxfordStudies from OxfordBecame Director-Became Director-General of National General of National Parks CanadaParks CanadaProfessional Professional photographerphotographer
Civil gradCivil grad
MBAMBA
Newsprint IndustryNewsprint Industry
LawyerLawyer
Master of the Master of the Supreme Court in BCSupreme Court in BC
Electrical gradElectrical grad
Exploration Exploration geophysicistgeophysicist
LawyerLawyer
EntrepreneurEntrepreneur
Chemical gradChemical grad
Eye surgeonEye surgeon
Civil gradCivil gradHarvard MBAHarvard MBAOwns computer and Owns computer and food businesses in food businesses in US and CanadaUS and CanadaDirector of the Bank Director of the Bank of Montrealof MontrealQueen’s Board of Queen’s Board of TrusteesTrustees
Geology and Geophysics Geology and Geophysics gradgrad
Exploration GeophysicistExploration Geophysicist
MSc GeologyMSc Geology
PhD CivilPhD Civil
Permafrost ResearchPermafrost Research
Marine GeologistMarine Geologist
Geotechnical EngineerGeotechnical Engineer
Founded Canada’s first Geo-Founded Canada’s first Geo-Environmental ConsultancyEnvironmental Consultancy
How can Queen’s grads in 2009 be assured of SUCCESS regardless of
the career track that develops?
What is Success?What is Success?
The attainment of wealth, favour, or The attainment of wealth, favour, or a position of prominence/superioritya position of prominence/superiority
A favourable or desired outcomeA favourable or desired outcome
According to the dictionary it isAccording to the dictionary it is
FactFact
Most people Most people equate success equate success with business or a with business or a careercareer
Success is making life’s journey as rich and stimulating an
experience as possible, while fulfilling your obligations to those
around you.
My Definition of My Definition of SuccessSuccess
But how do But how do you choose you choose
the path the path that leads to that leads to
success?success?
Personal Mission Personal Mission StatementStatement
You need aYou need a
A compass to help you A compass to help you choose the right pathchoose the right path
Your Mission Statement Your Mission Statement Should Be:Should Be:
ConciseConcise
Easy to rememberEasy to remember
Broad enough to Broad enough to provide guidance provide guidance under a number of under a number of circumstancescircumstances
Easily understood Easily understood by othersby others
My own mission statement My own mission statement was designed to help me was designed to help me
address my:address my:
personal needspersonal needs
professional goalsprofessional goals
family responsibilitiesfamily responsibilities
Mike’s Mission StatementMike’s Mission Statement
Have funHave fun
Do good workDo good work
Earn a livingEarn a living
Life is a CarouselLife is a Carousel
But you probably only go But you probably only go around oncearound once
Do Good WorkDo Good Work
Wherever a man works, Wherever a man works, he leaves something of he leaves something of
his soulhis soul
Every job is a self Every job is a self portrait of the person portrait of the person
who did it.who did it.
Autograph Autograph your work with your work with
excellence.excellence.
ProblemProblem
When I first created When I first created my mission my mission
statement it was statement it was clearly not aligned clearly not aligned
with the goals of my with the goals of my employeremployer
Start a Start a differentdifferent kind of company kind of company
where these where these goals could be goals could be
achievedachieved
SolutionSolution
Stuff that Wouldn’t Stuff that Wouldn’t MatterMatter
TitlesTitles
Making a Zillion DollarsMaking a Zillion Dollars
StatusStatus
Authority over OthersAuthority over Others
Stuff that Would MatterStuff that Would Matter
Having FunHaving Fun
Doing Good WorkDoing Good Work
Earning a LivingEarning a Living
Can it Work in Real Can it Work in Real Life?Life?
19791979
Good WorkGood Work
O’CONNOR ASSOCIATES ENVIRONMENTAL INC. Z
O’CONNORO’CONNOR ASSOCIATES ASSOCIATES ZZ
Geotechnical EngineeringGeotechnical Engineering
Engineering GeologyEngineering Geology
Engineering GeophysicsEngineering Geophysics
Environmental EngineeringEnvironmental Engineering
John AgarJohn AgarSc73Sc73
Doug KingSc70
Partners for 30 yrsPartners for 30 yrs
We have FUN!
Earn a LivingEarn a Living
What does all this What does all this mean for new mean for new
graduates in 2009?graduates in 2009?
Your real journey is just Your real journey is just beginningbeginning
Your career path is likely to Your career path is likely to be as diverse, and as be as diverse, and as interesting, as ours wasinteresting, as ours was
But it probably won’t be But it probably won’t be predictablepredictable
Start by Acquiring as Start by Acquiring as Many Professional Tools Many Professional Tools
as Possibleas Possible
Be thoughtful about each move Be thoughtful about each move you makeyou make
Build yourself a good networkBuild yourself a good network
Apply yourself to whatever tasks you’re given
But Learn to But Learn to Keep a Keep a
Balance Balance Between Between
Work and Work and PlayPlay
Z
Make lots of good friends, for they will Make lots of good friends, for they will sustain you when the going gets bumpy.sustain you when the going gets bumpy.
Define Your Define Your Own Vision Own Vision of Success of Success and Don’t and Don’t be Afraid to be Afraid to Reach for it.Reach for it.
Develop Your Own Develop Your Own Mission Statement to Mission Statement to
Guide You When Making Guide You When Making Life’s DecisionsLife’s Decisions
Oil & Gas
Banking
Manufacturing
Thank youThank you
O’CONNOR ASSOCIATES Z