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Dec 30, 2020
Pablo Fernandez, Chief Learning Officer at Baker Hughes, discusses how to transform a traditional organization into one that is on the forefront of technology, social issues, and innovation through educational development and an active belief in employees. Pablo comes from a diverse cultural perspective, having been born in Mexico and lived in five different countries. He is passionate about disrupting the education system and using learning as a tool to empower employees.
Key Takeaways
[2:45] Pablo had to reflect recently on what he wants his legacy to be. As the world evolves and changes, Pablo’s role as a learning officer also changes regularly.
[4:25] We need to make learning a part of work.
[6:55] We train people on compliance and integrity without actually telling them why it matters.
[10:15] We want people to fail and embrace a learning culture, but we also grade them on performance and other metrics. It’s a tough balance and it creates competing priorities.
[13:05] We throw training at a lot of perceived problems instead of developing a system/environment that helps facilitate new learnings.
[15:00] Baker Hughes knows they need to embrace clean energy, but when the team has been working on oil and gas for 40-plus years, there are some thinking obstacles in the way that a leader must navigate.
[19:05] Baker Hughes wants to transform from a traditional company. Pablo understands where they’re starting from and because of that, he knows it’s important to bring in new talent that helps revolutionize the status quo culture.
[20:25] Whenever a new idea gets presented, it’s very quick to ask how much it costs and if the company has the bandwidth to incorporate it, but those are the wrong questions to be asking! They are innovation killers.
[24:40] As an intentional citizen, Pablo shares how his different cultural exposure has made him a better leader today.
[27:35] Pablo explores whether our society’s worldwide exposure and influence through social media put more or less pressure on an organization’s need for innovation.
[32:50] Pablo loves what he does, but like anything, there are good days and there are bad days. Those bad days are a lot easier when they’re connected to a purpose.
[38:55] As a young and aspiring leader, it’s important to be aware of what you want.
[42:15] Patience is a critical component to changing the world in a dynamic way.
[44:25] Listener challenge: Be yourself.
Quotable Quotes
- “Learning without context is not learning, it’s just knowledge. It’s just information.”
- “The truth hurts. The truth is not something that’s easy to digest.”
- “We have created systems within companies that are ready to kill innovation and ready to kill bright ideas.”
- “We need to think about it differently. Innovation comes from leveraging each other. How do you break those frontiers that we have today and collaborate with one another.”
- “As an organization, you’re forced to take a position to stand up for your principles and for your values.”
- “The number one competence today for management is the ability to manage emotionally-charged conversations.“
- “At Baker Hughes, we do meditation sessions to make people aware of the today, not tomorrow.“
- “I told my colleague the truth. I was struggling. What I got in exchange was kindness. What this taught me was to ask for help.”
Resources Mentioned
- Websites: Bakerhughes.com & Pablo on LinkedIn
- The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization, by Peter M. Senge
- The Social Dilemma
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