Michael Wells

Empowering leadership can be the difference between a good result and a great result. Here Michael Wells, Vice President Supply Chain, Dril-Quip shares his insight on why asking the right questions is so vital.

“I’ve been here for only two and a half years, and one of the things I find extremely refreshing about the culture in this company - and this goes beyond supply chain - is we don't really ask the question why? We ask the question, why not? It's one of the most amazing things that our executive team does. I have the privilege of sitting in meetings with the CFO, the CEO, the COO, the General Counsel, the Vice President Sales and Marketing, and it's constant: ‘Why can't we do this better?’ When someone comes to the idea, it's not, ‘Why are we doing this?’. It’s, ‘Why not?’.

“One of the things that I find very powerful is, my executive team very rarely questions what we're doing and how we're doing it. Instead, they empower me to come up with the actions, and they ask one question: ‘What’s the weakness in your plan?’. Because what they want me and my team do is come up with solutions and have already thought through how it impacts the environment, how it impacts our diversity inclusion, how it impacts our customers, our shareholders and stakeholders, and our suppliers. 

“So when they ask us, ‘What's the weakness in the plan?’, what they're really asking is, ‘Have you thought through all the ramifications of what you're working towards?’ It's a powerful way to ensure that we are thinking about truly exploiting opportunities rather than just pushing buttons. And it's a powerful thing that our executive team does. I’ve learned that from them, and it's amazing to be here for just two and a half years and see how that thought process has changed me as a professional. And really, more importantly, how it has changed me as a person”.

Read the full story HERE.