Helmerich & Payne: Confidence, Care and Courage on the rig
A two-day human reliability programme that built safe behaviour under pressure for oil and gas rig crews.
Most serious incidents in oil and gas trace back to human factors: decisions made under pressure, handovers that break down, and interventions that are seen but not made. For rig crews, Confidence, Care and Courage are operational skills with direct consequences for safety and production.
We designed the 3C’s High-Performance Leadership and Human Reliability Programme for Helmerich & Payne around one idea: behaviour under stress is a reliable measure of readiness, and the only way to build it is to practise it under realistic pressure.
How the programme worked
What we measured
Facilitators observed every participant across both days and recorded how each person performed under pressure. Scoring was built into high-load activities to capture habitual behaviour rather than performed behaviour.
Behaviour under stress is a reliable measure of operational readiness.
What leaders received
A behavioural map of the group showing natural strengths, readiness and development needs, so senior leadership can direct follow-up support where it will have the greatest operational impact. The group was committed and open to challenge, which reflects well on the team culture.
How the programme worked
- Two full days of physical, cognitive and interpersonal activities
- Mixed-department teams, so crews worked with people outside their usual roles
- Day 1 focused on Care and Courage; Day 2 on Confidence and Care
- Each participant closed with a written personal commitment
Key points
- Built for rig crews in a high-risk environment.
- Two days of practice under realistic pressure.
- Silent behavioural observation gave leaders a clear development map.
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