Erle P. Halliburton - Offshore Energy Center's Ocean · PDF fileToday, I want to talk to you about Erle P. Halliburton. Erle Halliburton, the founder of the company that I work for,

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A Story of Success

Lawrence PopeVice President

Human Resources and Operational Excellence

Erle P. Halliburton


What worked for Erle can work for you Today, I want to talk to you about Erle P. Halliburton.

Erle Halliburton, the founder of the company that I work for, had one goal in mind: to be successful.

Erle started his New Method Oil Well Cementing Company with nothing but a couple of mules, a wagon that he borrowed from a friend and a fierce desire to make it all work. That kind of drive and commitment will prove valuable to you as you make your way through your chosen career.


Hard work won’t kill youWhen Erle was 12, his father died, so he left home at age 14 to help support the family. He learned to operate a train locomotive and later a steam crane on the Mississippi River. He was a salesman in New York and ran a steam shovel in California.

In other words, Erle never said “no” to hard work. And he became a better man for it.

Success doesn’t happen overnight, so be prepared to work for it, and never say “no” when someone asks you to do a job – as long it’s the right thing to do. No matter how small or meaningless the task may seem at the time, chances are you’ll learn something from it.


Sometimes you have to take calculated risks Things were tough for Erle in the early days, but he was committed to keeping his business afloat. With very little money coming in, Erle pawned his wife’s wedding ring to make payroll for his few employees.

Good thing for Erle, his first big opportunity was soon to follow. But pawning his wife’s wedding ring and hoping to land work was a huge risk.

Find your passion, whatever it is, and follow it. Work hard, never stop learning and don’t be afraid to take a few calculated risks along the way.


Take an idea and make it better Today, scientists, chemists and engineers at Halliburton continue to take ideas and make them better. The quest to create better, cleaner, more efficient products and services is our ultimate goal.

To be successful in this business, you must continually search for ways to not just compete, but to stay one step ahead of the competition.

Our chief chemist holds more than 160 patents. When asked recently how he continues to come up with ideas for new products, he said, “Not all of our ideas are for new products. Most of them, in fact, are ideas to improve upon products that we already make. We’re always looking for ways to make the products that we have better, more efficient, greener and more cost-effective.”


Be proactive Don’t wait to be told what to do. Ask for something to do. Solving problems and taking initiative are the best ways to stand out from the crowd.


Do your homework Learn all you can about the industry. Learn all you can about the company you work for. You won’t learn everything you need to know in the new employee brochure. Talk to people in other departments. Talk to clients and vendors. Search the Internet and the intranet. Read press releases and trade publications.


Strike a balance between work and life It’s often been said that time is money, so if that’s the case, we need to take better care of the time we are allotted. A strong desire to put in an honest day’s work is a trait that any employer would like to see in his or her workers. Just as important, we all need time to relax and enjoy our time with family and friends.

Never forget to have some fun! It generally translates into increased productivity, increased employee morale and decreased turnover.


Think way outside the box Ideas are wonderful, but if you don’t work hard to implement them, it’s as if you never had the idea at all.

Throughout his life, Erle Halliburton continued to seek improvements, better methods and new services. But, he also invented some things that had nothing to do with the oil field: aluminum luggage, a portable breathing machine.

He even started his own airline.

Did he ever fail? Sure he did, but that didn’t stop him from trying new things. It shouldn’t stop you, either.


Never compromise your integrityMake ethical behavior the cornerstone of your career.

From day one, act with honesty and integrity in all your daily business dealings. Your customers will value these traits. It’ll make your company a better place in which to work and it’ll make you a better person.


Be responsible, and wipe your feet Halliburton is one of the world's largest providers of products and services to the energy industry, with nearly 50,000 employees in approximately 70 countries.

Around the globe, our employees are committed to the economic, social and environmental welfare of the communities where we live and work.

And now, more than ever, it’s important that we all leave a clean footprint wherever we work. No matter what career you ultimately choose, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to do your part toward making the world a better place.


Make your own checklist for successAs vice president of Human Resources and Operational Excellence, I follow the example that Erle set for all of us.

Every day, I keep in mind the principles and work ethic of our company’s founder, and I encourage all of you to do the same. This recipe for success has been proven to work throughout the decades, by Erle P. and by other successful leaders in the energy industry.

It’ll work for you, too.



A Story of Success

Lawrence PopeVice President

Human Resources and Operational Excellence

Erle P. Halliburton

Documents

Erle P. Halliburton - Offshore Energy Center's Ocean · PDF fileToday, I want to talk to you about Erle P. Halliburton. Erle Halliburton, the founder of the company that I work for,