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