Ivy Diaz, Digital Editor, World Oil

The enthusiasm was evident as Day 2 of WGLC – Women’s Global Leadership Conference in Energy – began on Wednesday in Houston.

Kelley Henderson, General Manager of Category Management and Projects for Chevron, entered the stage to the popular song, “Fight Song,” by Rachel Platten, greeting a full ballroom of attendees.

Reflecting on her career journey, Henderson discussed five key leadership behaviors that she has found crucial for anyone’s path to becoming not only a leader, but a mentor. She highlighted the importance of setting expectations, observing performance, breaking down barriers, and learning how to be an effective coach — skills she stressed are key for female leaders in both oil and gas and the broader energy sector.

Henderson next touched on personal experience, her struggles and triumphs as a woman on track for leadership, and the immense value she found in networking. It’s a journey she reflected on as her “floundering years versus fight-song years.”

She noted that learning to be not only a boss, but an impactful leader, mentor and coach, has come through many years of listening, learning and pursuing passions. Speaking to young women in the industry, she encouraged, “When you tap into your passions related to career goals, you will go far.”

Henderson continued to touch on key differences between leadership, mentorship and coaching, and her experience with each. “Women are fantastic teachers, but we are a work in progress when it comes to coaching,” she said. “Coaching for me involves asking a lot of questions — listening, and helping employees figure out where they are going. An employee doesn’t want to just be told what to do.”

Henderson concluded with the key takeaway that “effective leadership is not just about getting the task done. It’s about inspiring and aligning people.”

She attributed her success in her more recent fight-song years to hard work, practicing leadership skills and learning from mistakes. And to wrap-up her theme of empowerment, she claimed, “I am not done. You are not done. Ladies, we have a lot of fight left in us!”

About the speaker

Kelley Henderson is Chevron’s General Manager of Category Management and Projects. In this role, she oversees supply, commercial, and supplier performance assurance for base business and capital projects.