Ending Well, Leading Forward: How Behavioural Coaching Transformed a Complex Offshore Decommissioning Project

Challenge

Achieving operational excellence at the end of asset life—without compromising people, culture, or safety.

In the high-consequence environment of offshore decommissioning, technical risk is only part of the story. Assets nearing retirement often bring together multiple contracting organisations, each with different cultures, operational standards, and histories. Some teams are arriving for the first time. Others are leaving after decades of service. Emotional complexity is high. Integration is fragile. And safety cannot be left to chance.

The challenge: forge a unified, high-performing team from day one—while navigating emotional transitions, shifting leadership, and sustained risk exposure. All without a drop in standards.

Solution

Equilibria deployed a human-first playbook grounded in personality diversity and intentional leadership.

To meet the moment, the client partnered with Equilibria to implement its proven behavioural coaching framework. This approach delivered clarity, cohesion, and confidence in an uncertain environment—through tools designed to engage both head and heart.

Key components included:

• E-Colours: a personality diversity system that helps teams understand communication styles, performance drivers, and emotional triggers.
• Intentional Leadership Coaching: a structured programme focusing on five essential leadership behaviours proven to build trust and safety.
• Personal Intervention: a mindset and method for self-regulation, empowering individuals to respond rather than react under pressure.
• The 8 Essentials of High Performance Teams: an engagement blueprint that bridges silos and creating sustainable collaboration.

These tools were embedded across operational levels—from senior leadership to front-line teams—and adapted to the rotating nature of offshore work. With most personnel being contractors, Equilibria created a shared language and behavioural foundation that transcended organisational boundaries.

Results

Faster alignment, lower risk, and a cultural legacy to match the technical one.

The impact was significant and swift:

• Alignment accelerated: Crews reported clearer roles, smoother transitions, and a unified sense of purpose—even amidst rotation and change.
• Safety improved: Front-line teams applied Personal Intervention techniques in high-risk situations, reducing reactive behaviour and increasing situational awareness.
• Feedback culture matured: Teams began giving and receiving feedback constructively—bolstered by mutual expectations and clear behavioural standards.
• Leadership behaviour became a differentiator: Intentional leadership was modelled consistently by both supervisors and contractors.

Veteran crew members departing after 20+ years of service described the process as “grounded, respectful and energising.” New arrivals reported a sense of belonging within days. One senior operations lead commented: “You could feel it on the platform—this wasn’t just another programme. This changed how people showed up.”

Quantitatively, the client observed notable improvements in team engagement, operational efficiency, and psychological safety. Qualitatively, the project left behind more than a safely decommissioned platform—it delivered a legacy of stronger people and better habits.

This is what it means to finish well—leaving behind not just a clean asset, but a stronger team culture, ready for what comes next.

Find out more: www.equilibria.com

Contacts:

Mark Wilkinson – [email protected]

Lewis Senior – [email protected]