Can a "Trojan Rig" strategy end Canada's energy policy siege?
Most everyone is familiar with the Trojan Horse tale.
Can Canada's oil and gas sector learn something from the ancient Greeks?
Perhaps.
Think Trojan Rig.
Here's the one-minute refresher: the Greeks had been laying siege, rather fruitlessly, to the the city of Troy. Frustrated after a decade, they built a massive wooden horse and left it at Troy's gate and seemingly abandoned their quest.
The jubilant Trojans, even despite warnings (beware Greeks bearing gifts and all that), opened the gate, hauled in the horse and started to celebrate their victory.
Whoops.
And the rest as they say...is history. We all know how that miscalculation ended for Troy.
We have a similiarly fruitless siege going on in Canada today; the petroleum sector playing the part of the Greeks (camped outside a “city’s” gate) and the Trojan ramparts being manned by politicians and special interest and activist groups intent on blocking the oil and gas community from connecting to ordinary Canadians. Our “siege” manifests in many ways, not the least of which is the polarizing nature of contemporary energy dialogue, which instead of being constructive and productive is more often than not destructive. Regulatory institutions that served Canada well, for example, have fallen like matchsticks before the onslaught of noisy and shrill opposition from a small cadre of voices that are far better organized that the petroleum sector.
As a result, they can stand atop the ramparts of policy and legislation and both flout the population’s will and flaunt their protected positions.
So a contemporary reworking of the tale may be timely. Our challenge is this: how do we get our (metaphorical) Trojan Rig past those ramparts and into a more direct connectivity to more Canadians? To leap from the “rig” once we are beyond the ramparts and begin conversing with Canadians in a way that rebalances the currently unbalanced narrative scales?
The first thing would be to get our own petro house in order. Put another way, we need figure out who gets to get into/onto the Trojan Rig. In other words, who do we trust to send past the ramparts?
Unlike the Greeks, however, we're not that organized. Nor do we seem to have much of a battle plan. Indeed, we have two camps that while not “at war” with each, are not exactly aligned either.
In fact, there are actually two increasingly distinct petroleum sectors today. One is comprised of companies and executives who get that times have changed; that Canadians for the most part have a different (and not unreasonable) set of expectations of their energy providers. Pragmatically, this Team Petro is prepared to work within that new socio-political realities. They get that Canadians worry about the environment and (generally) aren't fussed (environmentally) about carbon taxes and levies and so on.This group is interested in dialogue and discussion; it is ready to try to at least seek legitimacy by connecting with Canadians on those new terms...not using past communicative techniques and technologies no longer in vogue; most of which held folks economic hostage in one way or another to the energy sector’s existence.
The other, equally discernible but almost diametrically different ‘patch’, is made up of companies and leaders who are more clearly frustrated and agitated with politicians and the shrill voices opposed to development. There is an-often palpable anger that simmers just below the surface in the ways and means they want to direct their messaging. The aggrieved nature of their communicative strategy typically falls on tone-deaf ears because ours is a sector that is not easy to understand – and easy to dislike.
The former group is more likely to carry the day, given its willingness to recognize that a new day has dawned and we need to demonstrate a willingness to listen. The latter group would rather ram its message through unimpeded by ears carefully tuned to what Canadians really have to say – thoughts not filtered through political perceptions that flow from misguided misinterpretation of electoral mandates.
So here's how the Trojan allusion works. The good folks in Troy hauled the wooden horse past their gates because they believed (naively as it turns out) in their own invulnerability – and that the Greeks had accepted defeat.
A similar hubris prevails today. (Some) governments and politicians mistakenly (in my view) believe Canadians wouldn't bat an eye if the petroleum sector announced it was shutting itself down. Activists and ENGOs would do victory dances around their board tables and party in the streets. Neither has a clear grasp of the consequences of a oil and gas sector crippled by short-sighted policy.
No practical person could think closing down the sector is remotely possible. They know enough about energy to know that it is inextricably bound up in how their lives are lived. But they are (sometimes legitimately) suspicious that some parts of the energy sector aren't bringing their best game. And they expect companies not just to mail it in.
So how do we equip our Trojan Rig? And what’s its first tactic past the ramparts? How about with moral authority – or at least something that resembles it the permission to acquire it. Now, moral authority is a slippery and fuzzy notion. But its premise is rooted in something more powerful than policy embedded within regulatory or legislative frameworks.
And while it may seem puzzling to raise something that smacks more of metaphysics in the context of something pragmatic (and mechanical) like oil and gas extraction, production and transportation, it provides a way of thinking through new and innovative ways of connecting to Canadians.
Frame it from a trust perspective. Trust is up for grabs on the Canadian energy landscape.
Energy CEOs and politicians, for example, share space at the bottom of the public trust bucket. The key question is this: which of the two stands the best chance of gaining trust?
Back to our two oilpatches.
There are a handful of CEOs from the first group that in a town hall context with ordinary citizens would move the trust meter far further and far more rapidly than a typical politician. (Except perhaps Saskatchewan's Brad Wall.) They just need the safe forum.
Think about Trojan Rigs of trust rolling into town halls across Canada, past the ramparts of provincial and federal policy. The topic: energy policy that focuses on the environment and the economy...and that works for Canadians; policy that’s developed in the crucible of pragmatism, not behind the closed doors (and minds) of ideology.
The big challenge is convincing Canadians to be courageous enough to take up the dialogue challenge and help haul the Trojan Rig past the ramparts – and in the process thrust aside the blinders that have so effectively blinkered them to date.
Principal Hydrogeologist at Donald Weir Associates; Will not work in Alberta as the Jurisdiction does not respect Federal and International Law (APEGA): Section 6 of the Charter and Section 15 of the CUSMA.
7 年Well written and creative using the Iliad of Homer as inspiration. Fundamental to this approach is for the Energy Industry to find credible (and they do exist) that can commit to communicating with average Canadians for the long-term. Although, on the periphery of the industry, the industry needs someone with an incredible amount of clout to be able to dress down those in your second camp and to state that certain actions are not acceptable. We are seeing what happens in many industries when this does not happen (United Airlines and the beating of a seated passenger who was dragged off of the plane, share equity lost over 1 billion because the CEO did not take ownership of the issue). The Canadian Energy Industry is facing an "Iliad of Woes." Publius Rutilius Rufus, when Consul in 105 BCE, said this of the German invasion and the wholesale slaughter of 80,000 Roman Legionaries at Arausio due to the hubris of the leadership of the Roman Senate and those that saw that they had an attitude of entitlement, when they had no military ability. Similar things can be said of the historical leadership of the Energy Industry. I would, however, argue that most of the "Woes" are largely due to external forces (outside Canada) but they have been severely exacerbated by their own historical actions and attitudes going back decades. I agree many have changed their tune but the damage has been done and although many did not think they painted bullseyes on their backs that was in fact what they did. The industry as a whole needs to take ownership of past activities and rectify what are now considered a poor record. Actions not just words (including the lobbying for far more stringent regulation) will go far to repair the reputation of the industry. The Energy Industry, unfortunately, did not learn from the lessons learned from the Chemical and Mining Industry. Each went through similar trials and tribulations 3 or 4 decades ago.
I coach leaders through complex challenges to turn them into significant opportunities!
7 年An Effective Trojan Rig. Thanks to Bill Whitehead and others for your commitment to evolving this critical dialogue. I focus on dialogue not on walls. “Our challenge is this: how do we get our (metaphorical) Trojan Rig past those ramparts and into a more direct connectivity to more Canadians? To leap from the “rig” once we are beyond the ramparts and begin conversing with Canadians in a way that rebalances the currently unbalanced narrative scales?” In 2009, I coined a new term: MEDIOTS. Mediots are those in social media, traditional media, politics, and the world who subscribe to narrow, exclusive, one-dimensional thinking, who cast fear, separation and misunderstanding in their pronouncements on current events and issues. Mediots are driven by and in turn drive our own reptilian brains into fast emotional judgements placing ignorance over intelligence. Our focus, as Canadians who perceive our petroleum industry as a world leader in environmental protection and social engagement, is to dialogue with the 90% of those that appear to be against Canadian oil and natural gas and learn together. Research, common sense and our own experiences shows that debate, judgment and isolation / wall building does not change hearts and minds. All that does is engage the defense and anger. We need respectful communication and curious minds. What might I learn. I am writing a book on this now. While I have sent my career learning about and educating others on collaboration, negotiation and conflict management, I realize we must step back. We/ they don’t know what we don’t know. We must purposeful reach out to listen first. As in mediation and negotiation, once the other feels heard they open up to me. It rarely works the other way. Learn to Talk & Talk to Learn is the title of my next book (with Doreen Liberto). When I speak on energy sources and choices with groups in California, New York, Vancouver, New York, France and elsewhere in the past 10 years, most often they push against me and in minutes they start to get curious. The move form Mediot to curious. We learn together about energy and Canadian oil. We connect. Last year in San Luis Obispo (central California), I worked with a diverse group that started with hostility to the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Facility. In an evening, we got to; Savage isn’t that awful Canadian who is linked to tar sands that is killing our future. They transitioned to Savage looks like and sounds like someone who can get Pacific Gas to the table and who will fairly facilitate this critical conversation. We then focussed on building a vision for their energy future and to help them make informed choices on transitions. We talked about renewables, oil, natural gas, nuclear… And then, soon after, Pacific Gas decided to shut down the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Facility in seven years and go exclusively to renewables. Pacific Gas destroyed the possibility of an intelligent, respectful and diverse energy conversation. Do they really think going exclusively to renewables will be the best solution? Their pronouncement serves the uninformed, passionate, mediots. And the energy conversation we were to evolve in San Luis Obispo was dead. When I speak with my peers in the Canadian oil industry about the challengers we face, they defend, judge and project. When I invite industry leaders to share their stories on my podcasts over the past 18 months, they refuse. I now have listeners in 32 countries and my podcasts have been downloaded and estimated 35,000 times. Yet, we post on social media and publish long articles that tell the world how great we are. That isn’t the solution. Last month, I was at an industry social event and met four University of Calgary Petroleum Land Management students. They, along with other peers of mine, trashed the ignorance of the Mediots and the Climate Change champions. I challenged them them to engage and learn from those against. Why do we go to fear and debate so often? Those against always find a voice. And they, like us, are keenly interested in safety, environmental protection, jobs and community development. Let’s go there. And see where Canadian oil fits. Get real, Canadian oil and gas. Get engaged and learn together. Let’s evolve these conversations with the 90%. The 10% who refuse to engage will lose power. Our purpose is no to market our production, our job is to lead the energy conversations and allow us all to make the best blend of choices. As the saying goes; I met the enemy and it is me. Change is critical. Collaboration is the best way to create shared value. No to Trojan Rigs. No to Mediots. Yes, to learning together then making intelligent choices.
Class 1 Zone 2 Engineering Inc.
7 年I am not fond of the analogy. This outcome would presume that the oil and gas industry is looking for a sneaky way to dupe Canadians into lowering their guard to attack and eliminate "Troy" The Greeks and Troy must learn to co-exist peacefully and symbiotically, no two ways about it. Neither can simply conquer the other by any means. I am though really, really tired of bad behaviour at both ends of the spectrum.
Managing Director, Strategy and Sustainability at geoLOGIC systems
7 年Well said on so many levels...