Petroleum Development Oman

Designing an organisation-wide transformative coaching approach

Petroleum Development Oman and Talogy partnered together to win the “Best Coaching & Mentoring Initiative” at the CIPD Middle East People Awards.

  • Industry: Energy and utility
  • HQ: Muscat, Oman
  • Employees: 8904
  • Solution: Coaching services for talent development

Challenge

Founded in 1937, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) is the leading petroleum exploration and production company in the Sultanate of Oman. With a growing workforce of over 8,900 employees, PDO aspires to cultivate a culture of coaching and feedback across different levels, developing a resilient, adaptable and effective workforce that can lead the organisation towards a brighter future.

To support this vision, PDO initiated a strategic project to optimise internal coaching processes and expertise, aligned to their unique organisational needs and challenges. The project had two key goals: to develop a strong pool of trained internal coaches, and to roll out a ‘Leaders as Coach’ programme at scale. PDO chose to partner with Talogy because of Talogy’s rich experience and outstanding expertise in enterprise coaching.

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Decoration

We want to create a climate where employees learn how to give and receive feedback, support and stretch a colleague’s thinking, and drive performance.

Faiza Rahmatullah

People Director at PDO

Solution

Step one: Building an accredited internal coaching pool

This first step aimed to elevate PDO’s internal coaching capabilities by offering two distinct courses for accreditation, recognised by the International Association for Coaching: ‘Foundation Executive Coach’ and ‘Executive Coach’.

Aiming to stay away from a one-size-fits-all approach, both programmes were specifically designed by Talogy to align with PDO’s culture and objectives. A total of 24 initial participants  underwent one of the two one-year instructor-led coaching courses, which focused on:

  • Tailored curriculum: The courses consisted of customised modules, focused on the nuances of leadership within the energy sector and PDO’s specifically.
  • Real-world application: Participants were encouraged to practise in real work situations within the organisation.
  • Ongoing assessment and feedback: Regular evaluations ensured that the coaches were meeting the high standards set by the Association for Coaching, Talogy, and PDO.
  • Commitment: Each internal coach committed 250+ hours of internal coaching, 80+ hours of self-directed learning, 40+ hours of group-based training.

Step two: Rolling out the ‘Leaders as Coach’ programme

After the success of the coaching accreditation programme and the positive feedback from the participants, PDO invited Talogy back to be their ongoing learning partner in spearheading their strategic coaching initiatives to the present day.

Talogy designed a custom PDO ‘Leader as Coach’ course, that has already impacted over 100 leaders initially. This transformative three-day course, recognised by the Association for Coaching, teaches PDO leaders:

  • In-depth questioning techniques: Leaders learned how to ask the right questions to stimulate thought and inspire solutions.
  • The importance of psychological safety: Leaders learned the importance of creating a safe space for open dialogue and innovation.
  • Coaching in practice: Leaders engaged in real-world coaching scenarios, receiving immediate feedback from Talogy experts to refine their skills.
  • The value of becoming peer coaching: The post-course work encouraged leaders to become peer-coaches, thereby expanding the support beyond traditional mentorship.

To ensure the effective transfer of skills internally and make the benefits of this programme more accessible to every leader in PDO, Talogy then designed and implemented a Train-the-trainer programme for experienced internal coaches to deliver the three-day program with a high quality. It enabled the further development of the leadership through a sustainable internal delivery practice, allowing for more targeted sessions across the organisation. The programme operates on a recurring basis every year, continuing to empower the coaching strategy of PDO.

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Results

  • PDO now proudly boasts an internal pool of 39 certified coaches, fully equipped to provide 1-on-1 tailored leadership development journeys to employees.
  • Five PDO professional coaches are certified to deliver the three-day Leader As Coach programme to a high standard of excellence.
  • By the end of 2024, almost 200 leaders will have been trained and past their certification in essential coaching skills through the Leader as Coach programme.
  • 100% of the leaders surveyed said they would recommend the program to their colleagues.
  • The project won the CIPD Middle East People Awards in the category of “Best Coaching & Mentoring Initiative.”
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Decoration

I can’t speak highly enough about the outstanding service and support we’ve received from Talogy!

Their team has consistently gone above and beyond to ensure that our needs are met, providing exceptional solutions and guidance every step of the way.

The quality of their learning programmes is exceptional, offering insightful and practical knowledge that has significantly contributed to our team’s growth and success. They have a keen understanding of our industry and always provide relevant and timely advice.

Their commitment to excellence is evident in everything they do, from their prompt responses to their proactive approach in addressing potential challenges. Partnering with Talogy has been a game-changer for us, and I highly recommend their services to anyone looking for a dependable and innovative partner.

Zahra Lawati

Senior Talent Acquistion Advisor, PDO