PARKLAND THREE HORIZONS

Client: Parkland Refinery

Dates: September 19th & 21st, 2022

Departments: Deceleration, Visioning

The Invitation

Solvable was invited by the head of Parkland’s Low Carbon Strategy to host a two-day in-person workshop with their team to aid in the transition to renewables. We scaffolded the engagement around Three Horizons as a way for the team to draw a connection between the maintenance of the present and the investment in transition on the pathway to a different future. It allowed the group to identify new transition pathways oriented to a future vision as opposed to confined by present conditions.

Context

The workshop approach emerged from challenges Parkland Refinery faces in its transition to renewables, such as maintaining the scale of its current operations given a number of external constraints, while at the same time looking at linkages with employee engagement, attraction, and retention. While the renewables co-processing is the result of successful innovation experiments, there is a recognition that the current rates and types of innovation may be insufficient to stay ahead of external forces. We conceived this workshop as a container to explore Parkland Refinery’s past, present, and future at a depth that would lead to new insights about the organization today and what it might become in the future.

SOLUTIONS

By the end of the workshop, the team had a portrait of Three Horizons that showed them where their team values were aligned or misaligned with the future they desired and possible pathways to get there. Some pathways were cultural: dedicated innovation time, revisiting definitions of safety, accepting uncertainty, willingness to let go, and honestly embracing the emotional and difficulty in change. While others were structural: shifting decision-making criteria through methods and models such as risk rankings, accountability structures, payback hurdle rates, and equipment lifecycles connected to structures of the present carried forward to the future.

testimonials

“You both had great energy, and you did a good job translating abstract concepts to a technical audience and business on a tight timeline.”

“I thought you did a great job guiding people through areas that we often don't address in a large group.”

“May and Adam were both great. Well spoken, really knew the topics and helped aid discussion. Great to have this exercise in person. Overall really great job!”

“I had such a wonderful time at the workshop. You are both excellent facilitators!”