Why Keep Developing After Years in Leadership?

Khaled is Security Vice President at Bapco Refining, one of Bahrain's most critical national infrastructure facilities. Leading security and preparing the organisation for emergencies means making important decisions in situations where the stakes can be extremely high.

Despite many years in senior leadership, Khaled didn't see experience as a reason to stop developing.

"Leadership is a continuous journey, regardless of position or experience."

As his role became increasingly complex, Leadership in Management offered an opportunity to step away from the day-to-day and take a closer look at how he leads.

A More Deliberate Way to Lead

What Khaled found was practical. The programme encouraged him to reflect on his own leadership and challenge some of his assumptions. In particular, it reinforced that effective leadership isn't simply about directing people. It's about creating clarity, building trust, empowering others and maintaining focus when circumstances become difficult.

Khaled returned to work with a more deliberate approach. He placed greater emphasis on planning before acting, making responsibilities clear and giving others the confidence and authority to do their jobs.

One lesson would soon become particularly relevant:

"Leadership under pressure is not about having all the answers immediately. It is about remaining calm, assessing the situation, utilising available resources, making informed decisions, and maintaining confidence within the team." 

Then Came the Real Test

Shortly after the programme, Bapco Refining faced what Khaled describes as its first wartime scenario in modern history.

During the 39-Day War, he reports that Bahrain experienced more than 700 attacks nationally. Bapco Refining itself was affected by seven incidents involving aerial attacks, missile debris and explosive UAVs.

Khaled and his team needed to protect people and assets while keeping the refinery operating.

They began with a clear plan. Responsibilities were assigned, risks were continually reviewed and the team worked closely with Bahrain's national security organisations as the situation changed.

When the threat to the refinery increased, they established an alternative remote command centre so leadership and critical decisions could continue away from the site if necessary.

Throughout the crisis, Bapco Refining maintained operational continuity and command and control. Most importantly, Khaled reports zero fatalities and no permanent injuries.

What Stayed With Him

Looking back, the experience reinforced something Khaled had explored during Leadership in Management: even the best plans ultimately depend on people.

During those 39 days, his team needed to trust one another, understand what was expected of them and remain focused on the same purpose.

"When teams trust their leaders, understand their responsibilities, and share a common purpose, they can accomplish far more than most people believe possible."

No leadership programme could have predicted the situation Khaled was about to face. But it had given him time to examine how he wanted to lead before an extraordinary test arrived.

That's ultimately where he saw its value.

"The lessons were not theoretical; they were practical, applicable, and instrumental in helping me lead confidently through an extraordinary and unprecedented situation."