The Intentional CEO

A single conversation can change a life, then change a team, then change a community. Lewis sits down with Dave Payne and follow a chain of moments that starts with a simple leadership question, “Are you committed or are you interested?”, and expands into a set of stories about mentorship, E-Colours, and what it really means to pay it forward. Along the way, he and Dave revisit how leadership development becomes real when it leaves the classroom and shows up in the decisions people make under pressure. One thread runs from Steve Craig to his daughter Kami, and all the way to the USA Olympic Water Polo training camp. We talk about coaching, communication, and why understanding different working styles can unlock teamwork fast. We also reflect on bringing students from Southwest Schools into that world, and why those experiences matter for confidence, aspiration, and long-term opportunity. The theme is constant: the ripple effect is not a metaphor, it is the actual mechanism of culture change. We also get practical for engineers, HSE, and operational leaders. Dave shares what he wishes he had learned at 22: process safety, barriers and safeguards, human performance, risk, and the hierarchy of controls, plus a memorable “red glove day” lesson in unintended consequences. Then we tackle AI in engineering and the future of wells, keeping it grounded: don’t buy the hype, learn to use AI to make yourself better, and protect the human edge of innovation and judgement. We close by reframing legacy as something you build in real time through the people you develop, whether that’s at work, in schools, or across a massive volunteer ecosystem like the Houston Super Bowl host committee. If this gave you a nudge to mentor someone, rethink your own legacy, or sharpen your safety thinking, subscribe, share the episode with a colleague, and leave a review. What’s one ripple effect you hope your career creates?

A leadership motto can either gather dust in a slide deck or become the sentence people carry into hard decisions. We sit down with Dave to unpack how “Clear Leader” actually takes shape during the Chevron and Unocal integration, why he says he gets too much credit for it, and what happens when you swap a complicated corporate paragraph for a phrase people can remember and choose to live by. Along the way we look at why being “second best” quietly trains an organisation to accept less than it is capable of.The surprising twist is that a small booklet nearly derails the whole effort. Borrowing a cue from Starbucks’ old green apron book, the team drafts a Clear Leader booklet, takes it to a focus group, and then hears the line that forces a complete rethink: “I find it comforting but not inspiring.” That moment becomes a masterclass in listening, psychological safety, and the difference between messaging that sounds nice and language that actually moves behaviour.From there we shift into practical culture tools and high-stakes governance. We talk about e-colors, personal intervention, and simple cues that help people pause and choose a better response. Then we tackle WellSafe and functional governance: business unit pushback, the importance of independent assurance, why “exceptions” break systems, and how leaders keep standards alive through reorganisations. We finish on the sharp edge of leadership: compliers versus believers, what a blunt question in Thailand revealed, and why consistency and non-negotiables are the only way culture survives a change of boss.If you care about leadership development, organisational culture, and safety assurance that lasts, press play, then subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a review. What’s one standard you refuse to compromise on when you lead?

“They’re just like musk oxen.” That throwaway line turns into a sharp lens on leadership in Wells, drilling, and completions, and on what happens when smart teams get defensive instead of curious. We talk about why technical groups can circle the wagons, how that hurts decision-making, and what it looks like when leaders choose humility, learn the business, and stop optimising only for their own function.We also get specific about leadership development in oil and gas: the bets you place on people, the heat you take when you promote someone “too early”, and why talent grows faster when you back it with real resources. We reflect on leaders who break the old narrative that Wells people lack business acumen, and on what changes when the expectation is clear: you have to know the business, not just the tools.From there we go deep on the Leadership Essentials Programme, why leadership training often arrives too late, and why first-line supervisors can either do enormous damage or enormous good. We lay out what makes the programme stick: spaced sessions, experiential learning between modules, accountability partners, and leaders who protect the investment even during budget pressure.Finally, we connect leadership to safety culture through business partnering and human performance. You’ll hear how asking partners “what do you expect from us?” can change the entire tenor of a business unit, how different approaches can be integrated rather than fought over, and why AERO became both a proud achievement and a lasting frustration when it stopped being used.If this conversation sparks a memory or a debate, share it with a colleague, subscribe, and leave us a review. What’s one great idea you’ve seen ignored because someone wanted to reinvent it?

A single decision can define your leadership: keep the work moving, or stop it because the risk is telling you something you do not want to hear. Dave joins us with 42 years in oil and gas, most of it around drilling rigs, including leadership roles in Wells performance and corporate Health, Safety and Environment. We get into the real-world moments where safety is not a poster, it is a choice that costs time, money, and sometimes popularity. We unpack a tough story from early in Dave’s Wells role, when a fatality triggered a deeper look at a contractor’s safety systems and led to a call that senior leaders did not welcome. From there we explore a principle that shapes high performance without sacrificing people: we can risk finances to learn and innovate, but we do not risk lives, the environment, or reputation. That idea connects directly to learning culture, psychological safety, and why “don’t be afraid to fail” only works when failure is designed to be safe. Post-Macondo, we talk about humility and the decision to learn from high reliability organisations outside oil and gas, including nuclear power and the submarine navy. The contrast is stark: procedure discipline, clarity of mission, and an honest acceptance that human error is normal. We also touch on “discipline or develop”, how intent changes the leadership response, and what COVID taught us about leading through uncertainty with calm, data, teamwork, and the ability to pivot. If you care about safety leadership, HSE, high reliability, and building resilient operations, listen now, share it with a colleague, and leave a review so more people can find the conversation. What is the hardest safety call you have ever had to make?

Having made the decision to live more intentionally, Lewis Senior soon embarked on another exciting chapter of his life – co-founding Equilibra, a global coaching and consultancy firm dedicated to purposeful living.In this final episode of The Intentional CEO mini-series, Lewis explores how personality diversity can be harnessed to build self-awareness, strengthen communication and cultivate more intentional leaders and teams.With his signature honesty and openness, Lewis shares stories, laughter and lessons from his journey – revealing how intentionality shapes not only leadership, but life itself.

After experiencing severe mental and physical exhaustion while managing safety schemes on oil rigs, Lewis was forced to take a step back and reflect on what truly mattered. That turning point led him to pursue a new path in coaching.With the support of his employer, Lewis began travelling the world to help those most in need – particularly individuals who, like himself, had lost sight of a healthy work-life balance.In this episode, Lewis shares his journey with humour and honesty, reflecting on the people who inspired and supported him, those he was able to help and the early days of what would eventually become his groundbreaking observation and behaviour safety programme.

In this next chapter of his remarkable journey, Lewis takes us to the Gulf of Mexico, where he led the introduction and development of critical safety schemes on offshore rigs. It was a period marked by innovation and success – but also immense personal cost.Despite the impact of his work, Lewis opens up about the toll it took on his mental health, sharing a personal account of a serious wake-up call that forced him to step back, reassess and redefine what truly matters.With characteristic honesty and humour, Lewis reflects on the hard-earned lessons in leadership, the mentors who shaped him and how easy it is to lose sight of yourself – even with the best intentions.

The Intentional CEO is hosted by Lewis Senior, a former offshore leader whose global career sparked a lifelong dedication to people and performance.In this episode, Lewis shares his pioneering safety programs on oil rigs – initiatives that proved remarkably successful and laid the groundwork for his future path.He takes us back to the 1990s, tracing his dramatic journey from Egypt to Houston, where he became Health, Safety & Environment Manager for the drilling company Sonat. Along the way, he unpacks the challenges and opportunities that shaped his leadership.With honesty and humour, Lewis reflects on the hard-earned lessons in management, the people who influenced his growth and how his ability to adapt to new environments became a foundation for leading with intention.

The Intentional CEO is hosted by Lewis Senior, a former offshore leader whose global career shaped a lifelong dedication to people and performance. In this episode, he recounts his time in the oil industry in the 1970s, and his dramatic move from the North Sea to far-flung operations in Asia and Africa. With honesty and humour, he reflects on his hard-earned lessons in conflict management, the impact of his mistakes, and the unforgettable people who shaped his path. It’s a candid look at the making of a leader – and how experience, both good and bad, builds intention.

The Intentional CEO is hosted by Lewis Senior, a former offshore leader whose global career shaped a lifelong dedication to people and performance.Lewis’s journey began in 1974 on the North Sea oil rigs. After quickly climbing the ranks, he was to lead operations in over a dozen countries and witness first-hand the impact of leadership under pressure. This inspired him to co-found Equilibria, which has helped over 1.3 million individuals discover their E-Colors – a simple yet powerful personality diversity tool that helps people quickly understand their natural tendencies, communication styles, strength and potential limiters.This podcast is a space for forward-thinking leaders to explore conscious intent, real-world leadership and the tools to unlock potential – personally and professionally. Equal parts insightful and entertaining, Lewis is not only a distinguished coach but a dynamic speaker who brings heart, humor and humanity to every stage.