The Intentional CEO

A single decision can define your leadership: keep the work moving, or stop it because the risk is telling you something you do not want to hear. Dave joins us with 42 years in oil and gas, most of it around drilling rigs, including leadership roles in Wells performance and corporate Health, Safety and Environment. We get into the real-world moments where safety is not a poster, it is a choice that costs time, money, and sometimes popularity. We unpack a tough story from early in Dave’s Wells role, when a fatality triggered a deeper look at a contractor’s safety systems and led to a call that senior leaders did not welcome. From there we explore a principle that shapes high performance without sacrificing people: we can risk finances to learn and innovate, but we do not risk lives, the environment, or reputation. That idea connects directly to learning culture, psychological safety, and why “don’t be afraid to fail” only works when failure is designed to be safe. Post-Macondo, we talk about humility and the decision to learn from high reliability organisations outside oil and gas, including nuclear power and the submarine navy. The contrast is stark: procedure discipline, clarity of mission, and an honest acceptance that human error is normal. We also touch on “discipline or develop”, how intent changes the leadership response, and what COVID taught us about leading through uncertainty with calm, data, teamwork, and the ability to pivot. If you care about safety leadership, HSE, high reliability, and building resilient operations, listen now, share it with a colleague, and leave a review so more people can find the conversation. What is the hardest safety call you have ever had to make?

Having made the decision to live more intentionally, Lewis Senior soon embarked on another exciting chapter of his life – co-founding Equilibra , a global coaching and consultancy firm dedicated to purposeful living. In this final episode of The Intentional CEO mini-series, Lewis explores how personality diversity can be harnessed to build self-awareness, strengthen communication and cultivate more intentional leaders and teams. With his signature honesty and openness, Lewis shares stories, laughter and lessons from his journey – revealing how intentionality shapes not only leadership, but life itself.

After experiencing severe mental and physical exhaustion while managing safety schemes on oil rigs, Lewis was forced to take a step back and reflect on what truly mattered. That turning point led him to pursue a new path in coaching. With the support of his employer, Lewis began travelling the world to help those most in need – particularly individuals who, like himself, had lost sight of a healthy work-life balance. In this episode, Lewis shares his journey with humour and honesty, reflecting on the people who inspired and supported him, those he was able to help and the early days of what would eventually become his groundbreaking observation and behaviour safety programme.

In this next chapter of his remarkable journey, Lewis takes us to the Gulf of Mexico, where he led the introduction and development of critical safety schemes on offshore rigs. It was a period marked by innovation and success – but also immense personal cost. Despite the impact of his work, Lewis opens up about the toll it took on his mental health, sharing a personal account of a serious wake-up call that forced him to step back, reassess and redefine what truly matters. With characteristic honesty and humour, Lewis reflects on the hard-earned lessons in leadership, the mentors who shaped him and how easy it is to lose sight of yourself – even with the best intentions.

The Intentional CEO is hosted by Lewis Senior, a former offshore leader whose global career sparked a lifelong dedication to people and performance. In this episode, Lewis shares his pioneering safety programs on oil rigs – initiatives that proved remarkably successful and laid the groundwork for his future path. He takes us back to the 1990s, tracing his dramatic journey from Egypt to Houston, where he became Health, Safety & Environment Manager for the drilling company Sonat. Along the way, he unpacks the challenges and opportunities that shaped his leadership. With honesty and humour, Lewis reflects on the hard-earned lessons in management, the people who influenced his growth and how his ability to adapt to new environments became a foundation for leading with intention.

The Intentional CEO is hosted by Lewis Senior, a former offshore leader whose global career shaped a lifelong dedication to people and performance. In this episode, he recounts his time in the oil industry in the 1970s, and his dramatic move from the North Sea to far-flung operations in Asia and Africa. With honesty and humour, he reflects on his hard-earned lessons in conflict management, the impact of his mistakes, and the unforgettable people who shaped his path. It’s a candid look at the making of a leader – and how experience, both good and bad, builds intention.

The Intentional CEO is hosted by Lewis Senior, a former offshore leader whose global career shaped a lifelong dedication to people and performance. Lewis’s journey began in 1974 on the North Sea oil rigs. After quickly climbing the ranks, he was to lead operations in over a dozen countries and witness first-hand the impact of leadership under pressure. This inspired him to co-found Equilibria, which has helped over 1.3 million individuals discover their E-Colors – a simple yet powerful personality diversity tool that helps people quickly understand their natural tendencies, communication styles, strength and potential limiters. This podcast is a space for forward-thinking leaders to explore conscious intent, real-world leadership and the tools to unlock potential – personally and professionally. Equal parts insightful and entertaining, Lewis is not only a distinguished coach but a dynamic speaker who brings heart, humor and humanity to every stage.