14/08/2026
I want to sincerely apologise for not responding to everyone who sent me messages early this week. I will respond soon.
The training I went for was agreed for 9am to 3pm, but I left the office at 8pm yesterday.
Yes, 9am-8pm.
The discussion is so integrated, and the participation so intense, that even at 5pm, more practical applications of the topics are still being referenced, questioned, challenged and discussed by the participants.
The participants are some of the best I have worked with.
Their wealth of experience is above standard, but their insistence on application, not just learning, is the most amazing part.
As their coach, I am not just guiding, exposing or directing. I am also learning.
Not just HSE and Oil & Gas industry analytics, but also how to work with experienced industry professionals.
Interestingly, this is the second Oil & Gas company I am training this year. In February, I coached the Finance team of a different Oil & Gas company on ageing analytics and Business Intelligence using Microsoft Power BI.
Why am I sharing this with you?
“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings.”
You have a business, an assignment, a skill, a job responsibility.
Whatever it is, always aim for excellence.
What is excellence?
Simply put, doing your work so well that your work speaks for you when you are not in the room.
I have learned that excellence is not about being perfect.
• It is about caring.
• It is about preparation.
• It is about showing up and giving your best, even when nobody is watching.
So, three simple things you can apply today:
1. Take your work seriously.
Whatever has been placed in your hands, treat it with honour. Your boss asks you to prepare a letter to take to a client. When showing him the final copy, don't just hand him the paper. Put it in a neat envelope. Small things matter. Excellence is often hidden in the details.
2. Keep learning.
Do not become so good at what you do that you stop becoming better. You just conquered Goliath. What next? David did not stop growing after one victory. Every new level will demand something new from you.
3. Apply what you know.
Learning is valuable, but application is where transformation begins. You know Excel? Use it to solve a business problem. You know AI? Build something with it. Don't just consume knowledge. Turn what you know into value.
You never know who is watching.
You never know what opportunity your excellence is preparing you for.
Just keep building.