In logistics, you are responsible for getting a vessel from A to B. You take pride in everything from loading it successfully to discharging it properly so that ultimately the customer gets what they need on time and on budget. When you’re working on a specific oil product, it’s easy to develop tunnel vision. But it’s important to take a step back from the job at hand and look at the big picture, evaluating each situation from all aspects of the business. To do this, I need to listen to the operator. They are on the front line so they are seeing issues as they pop up and can bring them to my attention.
After something goes wrong, it’s important to ask: “What did we learn from it? How can we prevent this from happening next time? How can we do better?” It goes back to how you manage your day-to-day work and preparation. Prior to loading the vessel, did you make sure that you had all the items on your checklist? Could you have identified a problem earlier on? Were there preventive measures that you could have taken prior to giving the green light to start?
Throughout my career, I’ve learnt that when you come across a problem, the best thing to do is be upfront and humble. Asking for help is essential. The minute that you try to hide an issue is usually when it spirals out of control.
My core values at Glencore are the same as those outside of work. As a father and a husband, I make sure that I am honest and straightforward. At work, having an open-door policy gives the operators a platform to come in and talk to me about any issue they might be having. When you’re an operator, every vessel lives with you. It becomes part of your life because vessel loading takes 36 to 48 hours, and you could get a call at any time of day or night. Then it could be on the water for 10 to 15 days, and after that it has to discharge. Being able to relate to that with an operator, if they’ve had a rough night with the terminals and the inspectors, is something very valuable.