PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Unfortunately, this is only the case some of the time. For someone like me who was drawn to math and science in part because I prefer the objective to the subjective, it has been a slow — and sometimes incredibly painful — lesson that the intangible core of teamwork is something beyond strong penmanship and public speaking, beyond reliability and punctual contribution. This “something” can quite literally save your life or help fulfill your dreams, and the lack of it can at worst leave you in the depths of despair. In essence, it’s the insight to build and maintain strong relationships with everyone, to treat people as the most vital, most delicate, most formidable, and most mercurial component of any system. I will likely spend the rest of my life learning how to do this better. Dr. Nathaniel Rutter, OC, P.Geol. Stony Plain • Professor emeritus in the University of Alberta’s Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences • Leading authority on quaternary geology
When I entered a pre-law program as an undergraduate at Tufts University in Massa- chusetts, I assumed that was what I wanted to do as a profession, coming from a family of lawyers. However, I enjoyed a geology course which I enrolled in as my science requirement. Professor Nichols, my geology profes- sor, asked me if I would like to go to the Arctic for the summer as a student assis- tant. I said yes and this changed my life. I loved being in the field, especially in the Arctic, and learning what we can learn from the study of rocks and the landscape. When I returned, I knew I wanted to major in geology, but I was hesitant to pull out of what I had previously committed to and what my family expected me to do. Profes- sor Nichols’ advice was: Do what you love and do it well and the rest will take care of itself. I majored in geology and never looked back. That was the best advice I ever received.
• An entrepreneur who has successfully started and sold four other oil and gas companies over the past 15 years The best advice I ever received was to learn how to meditate. I didn’t receive it from anyone in particular, but rather realized it as a common theme from many of the personal development books I was reading, trying to understand how to reach my potential. I first approached meditation in a traditional Type A manner: I’m going to be the best damn meditator. Needless to say, I wasn’t very successful at it. Then one day I realized that meditation isn’t about accomplishing any- thing or doing — it is about being. Meditation is the best skill I ever learned as a leader and as a person. It liter- ally makes everything in life better. It makes you smarter, healthier, more creative, more inspired, a better problem solver, more intuitive, more present, more aware, more compassionate, more tolerant, more adapt- able, and more peaceful. You are able to experience life from a lens that is full of joy and equanimity — appreciative of what is important. Most importantly, you are able to find the real you and what extraordinary gifts you have to contribute to the world.
Suzanne West, P.Eng. Calgary • President and CEO of Imaginea Energy
DR. NATHANIEL RUTTER, P.GEOL… …switched from studying law to geology and never looked back
SUZANNE WEST, P.ENG… …a better problem solver, thanks to meditation
42 | PEG SPRING 2016
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