Some of the best decisions I ever made were ones that made little sense on paper.

Throughout my career, I’ve often chosen roles that stretched me beyond what felt comfortable technically, culturally, and personally. These moves didn’t always follow the “logical” path, but they challenged me. And more often than not, they helped me grow in ways I could not have predicted.

Early in my career, I made the decision to move from seismic, where I had started, into drilling. In many ways, it felt like starting over. It meant going back into training, rebuilding technical depth, and learning a new business from the ground up.

That feeling of stepping into something unfamiliar and needing to catch up quickly became a recurring theme in my journey. It happened again as I moved across businesses, functions, and geographies within SLB. At different points, I found myself leading a global technology business with no prior background in that area, taking on my first general management role at a relatively young age and stepping into regions shaped by geopolitics and sanctions.

There was always some degree of fear. Fear of not delivering. Fear of not fitting in. Fear of letting people down. Earlier in my career, I thought leadership was about having the answers—being decisive, technically strong, and confident in every situation.

What surprised me over time was that leadership often depends less on certainty and more on judgment. It is about listening carefully. Observing closely. Asking the right questions. And being able to sense when something does not fully add up—whether that is a misalignment, an unspoken concern, or a gap in thinking.

As I moved through different categories, cultures, and communities, I began to trust that instinct more and more. And with that, many of the earlier fears started to fade. I realized that I did not need to have every answer myself in order to lead well. I needed to think clearly, ask the right questions, and trust both my own experience and the expertise of the people around me.

One of the most defining chapters of my career was leading during a period of intense sanctions. In that environment, success was simply not possible unless people worked well together.

Process mattered. Plans mattered. But people mattered more. Keeping teams focused, proud, and united through uncertainty became the real work of leadership.

Looking back, that lesson was not unique to one location. It has followed me into every new challenge since.

Leadership is rarely built in moments of comfort or familiarity. More often, it is built when you are stretched, uncertain, and forced to grow.

I’m grateful that SLB has trusted me with opportunities that allow me to learn, adapt, and achieve more than I thought possible. As the company begins its second century, I look forward to the challenges ahead. And just as importantly, I look forward to continuing to step into them.