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A ‘mission commanding’ performance
Amilitary principle with its roots in the 19th century has brought a trailblazing approach to
project management at Apache North Sea. The man behind its introduction to the company,
projects group manager Mark Richardson, says it is all about giving talented people the
freedom to make decisions – and, in turn, deliver greater efficiencies and operational gains.
M
ark Richardson believes the
use of centralised project
management stage-gate
systems, where decisions are taken by
a central controlling function at key
project points (gates), is compromising
project delivery across the UK offshore
oil and gas industry. The project
groups manager at Apache North
Sea believes “it results in a lack of
accountability for actual delivery and
that, in turn, means reduced efficiency
and effectiveness”.
He has shaped a different approach
to project management at Apache.
The Mission Command concept is an
alternative to the highly process-driven
systems commonly applied. In essence,
Mark believes it is a methodology that
creates leaders at all levels with lean
teams that can react to a probabilistic,
unpredictable and dynamic
environment by taking on personal
responsibility and accountability for
delivery through devolved decision
making.
He says: “There’s an incredibly
competent and highly trained
PROJECT DELIVERY
EFFICIENCY
W I R E L I N E
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