Principaling - What Is It?

Welcome to the blog!

I sincerely hope that you will derive great benefit from the postings made here. I subscribe to the four burners philosophy in life - trying to maintain a balance between:

1. Work

2. Family

3. Hobbies/Social

4. Health

Primarily this blog will explore what one can do in their 'Work', but like so much in life, things are interconnected. A small tweak or improvement in one area can have flow-on positive effects in another.

What exactly is Principal-ing? First, let me explain with some background.

Take your mind back to Year 9 Chemistry. Remember that grizzly old science teacher with way too much facial hair and a sweater from the 1970s? Well if you can you are doing well. Can you remember anything they may have tried to teach you? like what photosynthesis is all about?

Yes the leaves. The green leaves are filled with chloro.... chlorophyll. Then there was a detail about converting sunlight into energy, and then we all get oxygen. Well if the memory banks are really firing you may recall that there was an equation. It looked something like this:

I still recall my science teacher - Mrs Tan - banging on about "In the presence of sunlight". That is why the term 'sunlight' is written above the arrow.

What does this have to do with Principal-ing?

The form of the equation fits.

Working for a Principal organisation is working for a business that derives its profit from operating assets (physical or technological*). Think the big miners: BHP, Rio, FMG. The big oil and gas companies like Chevron and Woodside. Many of the large private and state-run utilities such as ports, water providers, electricity suppliers and transportation. Even local governments fit under this category.

It is a different environment to working for a consultancy; they are focused on charging out time on essentially solving well-defined problems. It is different to working for a contractor or maintenance service provider with a determined scope of services.

If you go into a Principal-ing role with a consultancy or contractor mindset you will fail (failure defined here as ranging from not meeting the potential you could achieve, all the way to a major stuff up resulting in the 3 f's: fatalities, fines and restriction of freedom ie jail).

Curiosity has piqued your interest for you to have read this far. That is an excellent sign - grit and perseverance to find the information you need to succeed is a truly great quality that will accelerate you to your career goals. Working for a Principal organisation can be a fantastic experience where you can spread your wings and make a difference for both yourself, your family, and the community as a whole.

You get to the best places in life by asking the right questions. So finally, what is Principal-ing?

Principal-ing is

Simple? Well yes. However, just like the photosynthesis equation - the map is not the territory. The aim of this blog is to delve further into the detail, and give you the tools to succeed in your Principal-ing adventure.

*I'm leaving the 'people are assets too!' part to the more cuddle cuddle kumbaya writers.