Early in the ONS future leaders’ program, a personality analysis highlighted a tendency in me to challenge established methods and guidelines. Initially, this led me to consider whether I am simply inclined to resist rules, but that interpretation did not resonate with me. I have never found myself to be someone who pushes back for the sake of it. Instead, I believe any input should be adopted through genuine understanding, rather than passive acceptance.

‍

Most established methods and guidelines are created in response to specific events, intended to protect and improve our systems over time. Although essential, they are shaped by the conditions under which they were developed, inherently limiting their ability to anticipate every situation in which they may later be applied. Courage in this context is not about ignoring or disregarding experience, but about knowing when to rely on it - and when to question it. That distinction grows increasingly relevant when the challenges we face outgrow the guidance of our familiar methods.

‍

When familarity fails to guide us

In the offshore energy sector, we operate in environments where safety is non-negotiable, where precision matters, and where consequences can be severe. It is natural that we lean on what has worked before. However, the evolution of our industry keeps leading us to areas where the past cannot always guide us. Next-generation energy solutions and modern work methods are not simply extensions of our current practices, but require new thinking, new collaboration, and courage to effectively reshape our established practices. This can feel challenging in an industry defined by a strong engineering heritage, where proven solutions have shaped not only our systems, but also our confidence in how work is done. But in times of transition, it is essential not to let this comfort subtly limit our willingness to adapt.

‍

A clear example of this is how we approach environmental impact. As the argument for change is no longer driven only by innovation, but by responsibility, the effort to reduce environmental footprints is reshaping what “good enough” looks like. Adapting to this reality is not a quick adjustment but a long-term effort that demands perseverance as much as technical insight.

Awareness and understanding are important, but acting on it is even more so. In practice, we need to maintain the willingness to step outside our comfort zone and ask: Why do we do it this way? What assumptions are we carrying? What if the conditions have changed? It is the drive to challenge the invisible rules - the ones we follow not because they are written down, but because that’s how we’ve always done it.

‍

This kind of courage is not loud or dramatic. It is subtle, deliberate, and often uncomfortable.

‍

It requires curiosity - to explore new domains, technologies, and ways of working.
It requires humility - to admit our expertise, while valuable, is not always enough.
It requires trust - in our colleagues, in our teams, and in the idea that change and innovation does not threaten our identity but strengthens it.

‍

This courage is not new; it has long been present in our industry, shaping our practices from the beginning. It is the same courage that enables us to keep learning when experience reaches its limits.

‍

Learing beyond what we know

Compliance does not equal excellence. Excellence comes from people who adapt, question, and think critically. Interestingly, the established methods and guidelines we now comply with were essentially built by the same type of people - someone who questioned an assumption, someone who saw a gap, or recognized that the existing approach was no longer enough. The very rules we now adhere to were once acts of courage by people willing to think differently.

In practice, speaking up when established methods feel outdated or misaligned is not to challenge them, but to contribute to them. The same mindset that created our practices is the mindset required to keep improving them. Experience, while invaluable, can also create blind spots. Familiar ways of working can make limitations harder to recognize. Challenging established ways of working helps us avoid slipping into routine thinking. It forces us to reexamine assumptions we didn’t realize we were making.

‍

Progression and innovation rely on courage and curiosity. Asking genuine questions - not to challenge authority, but to understand - opens the door to improvements and ensures expertise remains sharp and relevant. By approaching our work with humility and openness to change, we create a culture for sharing insight and potential we might otherwise miss. In an industry where no single person sees the full picture, progress depends on our willingness to learn from one another, combine perspectives, and let collective understanding guide better decisions.

‍

The greatest limitation lies in believing we already know. Recognizing this is what allows us to keep learning beyond what we know today.

‍

Brage Mothes

Project Engineer, Subsea7

‍

‍