Turning the Expected into Good Fortune Inside Gabon
Five months ago, Gilles one of our Project Engineers began working in Gabon for a large industrial plant. Shortly after his arrival, things changed quickly at work. It was critical to appoint a new leader to take over daily operations in order to ensure the site would continue to run smoothly.
Without hesitation, Gilles was selected to replace him as the new General Manager. Excited by the opportunity to grow his leadership skills, he eagerly accepted the challenge! Although the situation was challenging and complex, Gilles was ready to apply his 40 years of experience gained across different countries to turn the situation around.
With ample international experience spanning Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania and Gabon, Gilles had developed an impressive portfolio of experience across many of the French speaking countries in Africa. Throughout his career, he’s learned the finer sides of what’s required to work effectively within multicultural teams to deliver consistent results
“So far I’m most proud of the decision-making process I initiated that is fully supported by the Managing Directors. It’s changing how we work and allows us to do a better job while making quicker decisions that support the business’ goals!”
One of the biggest factors for success was the need to build trust among local professionals and to earn their respect on-site. When we asked Gilles what his formula for success was, he shared that it’s empowering his teams. His philosophy relies on giving more responsibility to his team so that they can develop their skills, grow with the company, share a sense of belonging and contribute to building a sustainable work community.
“Today I’m seeing the encouraging results of a team who is accountable for their own area of expertise. People need trust to achieve their personal bests!”
Today, the main departments of operations, procurement, HSE and methods engineering are effectively managed by Gabonese professionals. It’s rewarding to see local professionals advance their skills and careers, as well as assuming leadership roles. Like many of us who find ourselves ready to take action transcend our own capabilities, we need to start somewhere!
In all walks of life, our goal is to solve challenges which ironically leads to more challenges. Facing COVID in Gabon has not been easy. Fortunately communities have responded quickly adopting safety measures and the situation is under control and widespread testing is in place. On a personal level, his former FIFO role transitioned into a permanent role since rotation was eliminated in response to COVID. Gilles has embraced this radical change and is enjoying the opportunity to adopt more routine.
“I’m now managing a second construction atelier not far from the initial plant and I’m receiving positive feedback from my co-workers. Persistence and hard work always come with the best rewards.”
Do you want to kickstart your professional career overseas? Drop us a line at [email protected].