No. 1 large company: Anadarko Petroleum Corp.
Nov 10, 2012 (Menafn - Houston Chronicle - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --When Anadarko Petroleum Corp. took the top spot as the best large company to work for in the Houston area during the past two years, many employees pointed to the leadership and management style of its then-CEO, James Hackett.
The challenging and empowering environment Hackett created during his eight years at the helm is still a core part of the company's culture, according to Anadarko's new CEO, Al Walker.
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"My job is to perpetuate the strategy and culture we've developed up until now," said Walker, who took over the top job in May. "I'm not here to be a change agent."
And it seems to be working. For the third consecutive year, Anadarko was named to the top of the Chronicle's Top Workplaces survey, as selected by WorkplaceDynamics.
One of the toughest jobs of a CEO stepping into the shoes of someone who's known as a rock star -- especially someone who is so closely tied to the success of a company -- is keeping alive the magic. Think Southwest Airlines after the legendary Herb Kelleher. Or Microsoft after Bill Gates stepped down from day-to-day operations.
Their successor CEOs did it, and Walker, who worked alongside Hackett since joining the company in 2005 as its chief financial officer, figures he can, too.
Walker was careful to emphasize when he was promoted that he wasn't changing the strategy or core values, which seemed to put employees at ease.
But it's still no easy task, said Walker, who describes himself as a "more behind-the-scenes" type of leader.
"Getting to the top is easier than staying at the top," Walker said. One of the biggest challenges is to keep getting better. That means encouraging employees to be innovative, encourage entrepreneurship and make it fun to come to work.
And carrying on the tradition of values such as "servant leadership," which focuses on the needs of other people rather than the interests of the leader, as well as Hackett's financial legacy.
"My challenge is to perpetuate that and, where I can, to make it better," said Walker, who uses monthly birthday celebrations, periodic updates and casual conversations over lunch in the company cafeteria to make sure the culture stays employee- centered.
The philosophy of servant leadership encourages empowerment and support of colleagues, and it differentiates Anadarko from other energy companies, said Rory Madden, planning and commercial manager for the Mozambique region.
It's also different because it doesn't create a hierarchical pecking order that divides the workforce into the in group and the out group.
"Every company has its rainmakers, the golden people, the gods of their companies," Madden said. "We don't get that at Anadarko."
That, in turn, makes the 1,999 employees feel as if they're co-owners in the company and that everyone's contribution -- from the reception desk to finance -- is important, Madden said.
Senior geologist Lauren Peschier worked for other exploration and production companies before she got to Anadarko. She said she really appreciates the ability to change jobs every two to three years.
"You can get a wide range of experience," said Peschier, who is focused on East Texas but is looking ahead to Africa, Brazil and other far-flung places with oil and gas reserves.
Walker refers to the process of changing and expanding responsibilities as "re-potting" employees.
"People can only grow as big as the pot they're in," Walker said. Making sure employees have a steady diet of new challenges and opportunities makes it less likely they'll change companies. It's great for the company, he added, and is a big contributor to the annual turnover rate of less than 5 percent.
Peschier also appreciates that the culture promotes family-friendly flexibility that allows her to attend "Donuts with Mom" and other school-related functions as well as work from home when one of her children gets sick.
"There is no penalty to say family is first," she said. "Anadarko really recognizes the happiness of the whole individual."
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