Oil and Gas Leadership Consultant Bob Acton Helps Turn Around Abrasive Leaders at Oil and Gas Companies

CALGARY, Alberta, May 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Leaders with abrasive interpersonal styles create significant problems for oil and gas companies, resulting in reduced productivity. "Even though some abrasive leaders produce good results, the wake they leave behind them in terms of poor productivity, resignations, negative conflict, and stifled creativity are extremely counterproductive to the overall success of the business," says Leadership Consultant Dr. Bob Acton, who provides executive and leader coaching to help leaders enhance their success in the workplace.

"Oil and gas executives want their employees to be creative as that often is the key differential to successful discoveries. But working within an atmosphere of fear quickly stifles any opportunities for creativity," says Acton, who speaks about influence strategies for leaders. He also notes that "the negative effects of a leader with such a challenging leadership style are not solely limited to productivity but also to reductions in employees' health and well-being."

"Leaders and managers with an abrasive style want to influence those around them and often don't understand how they could engage others far more effectively. The key is to utilize leader coaching," says Acton, who has worked with numerous organizations with executive and leader development.

"Often leaders with an aggressive style aren't managed effectively," says Acton, author of his new book Bill's Wisdom: Gaining Leadership Values Through Mentoring. "Providing the leader with honest and direct feedback kick-starts the behavior change process as most of these people do not want to leave a negative impact on others."

Acton recommends a three-phase approach to help leaders change their behavior to become even more effective within their leadership role. Ensuring a successful engagement involves these characteristics:

• Developing a trusting relationship with the abrasive leader;
• Providing the leader with data based on anonymous 360-degree feedback from the boss, peers, direct reports, and even clients; and
• Building new behavioral skills and strategies to reduce negative behavior and increase successful new influence strategies that engage and direct people effectively.

For more information or for a free chapter of Bob's new book, go to www.obairleadership.com  

Bob Acton, Ph.D., President of Obair Leadership, is a leadership consultant and executive coach, trainer, and speaker. He works with talented, knowledgeable leaders to build practical solutions with their employees, peers, clients, and leader teams. With broad professional training, he combines extensive experience with knowledge of cutting-edge research to optimize leader performance and bottom-line results.

SOURCE Bob Acton, Ph.D.