Adaptability in Modern Times: A Wellness Session with ExxonMobil WIN Nigeria

29 May 2026 | Women in Energy Network

Last Friday, the Women In Energy Network had the privilege of joining ExxonMobil’s Women’s Interest Network WIN Nigeria for a powerful wellness session themed “Adaptability in Modern Times”, facilitated by guest speaker Charlie Hogg in partnership with Brahma Kumaris Lagos.

We walked into Karaa Place expecting tips on “work-life balance”. We walked out with a mirror held up to our inner world.

3 shifts that stayed with me:

Control is an illusion. Influence is the work.

“What do you really have control over?” Silence. Then the truth: Nothing.
The only sphere we own is our thoughts, feelings, emotions, behavior, actions.
For women leading in O&G, that’s freeing. Adaptability starts when we stop trying to control the storm and start managing ourselves in it.

SQ > IQ > EQ. Start with Self.

IQ gets you the job. EQ helps you work with people. SQ – Spiritual Intelligence – helps you manage yourself.
Charlie defined depression as “loss of one’s true identity”. Adaptability dies when we forget who we are.
The road for the woman in energy needs to change. We have to be like a tree on a windy day – bend, don’t break.
Adaptability is letting go of all forms of resistance. Blame is just a symptom of low adaptability.

Your mind is your perfume. Meditation is the anchor.

We need 2 anchors to stay sane: a healthy relationship with Self and a relationship with God. All other relationships are temporary.
Meditation is discipline, not just relaxation. It puts down an anchor in you. When you think well, you influence well.
Leadership = relationship building. And it starts with the relationship you have with yourself.

Gratitude

Special thanks to Jagir Baxi, MD Esso Nigeria, for making this session possible through ExxonMobil WIN Nigeria. Sir, your commitment to the wellbeing and growth of women in energy creates room for us to lead differently. We are grateful.

Thank you ExxonMobil WIN Nigeria, Emem Abraham, Deji Adetunji, Atinuke Abamishe, just to mention a few.
WIEN leadership, Charlie Hogg and Brahma Kumaris Lagos team for the wisdom and the space for reflection.

I as the WIEN VP Upstream was honored to lead the WIEN delegation to this session. To my sisters in energy: The industry will keep changing. VUCA is not going away. Our competitive advantage is no longer just technical. It’s adaptability from the inside out.

Invitation to Join WIEN

Dearest Woman in Energy, if this message resonates with you – if you believe leadership starts within, and you want to grow alongside other women shaping the future of energy – WIEN is your community.

We are women across operators, EPCs, service companies, regulators, and academia, building capability, networks, and impact.

Become a member today: https://www.wien.com.ng/membership
For corporate membership and partnership opportunities, please reach out to the WIEN secretariat.

Tags: #WIEN #ExxonMobilWIN #WomenInEnergy #Adaptability #Leadership #Wellness #OilandGas #Nigeria #EssoNigeria