Make sure you tune in for our upcoming September 9^th Broadcast, "Personal Leadership," featuring Bryan Dodge. We hope you will enjoy this funny, but chock full of good information program. 

Is Bryan goofy? Yes, and he plugs himself as that. He takes it as a compliment when someone says, "you're the weirdest human being I ever met."  He is!  But he is armed with some down to earth practical advice on how to develop your own personal leadership.  Come and be prepared to laugh and learn. Bryan provides great tips in an entertaining way.

For a preview of more of Bryan's presentations, go to his website at http://www.bryandodge.com/.

Enjoy!

Natalie Corey, ncorey@southerngas.org

 

We want your feedback/information about how you are using the SGA Network and what we can do to better serve you. 

A participant from South Carolina said, "I think the SGA Network should be the premiere solution for cost effective, distance learning for utilities (especially gas utilities) -- taking training to the people instead of bringing people to the training".

Another viewer wrote, "As a large natural gas distribution company, too often the call center agents do not have the freedom to attend classes or broadcasts.  We try to help them through that by airing company specific materials to call centers.  Currently, we use five DVDs with edited materials from the company, from Marketing, from industry (AGA & SGA) and others.  The DVD player runs at least once per shift.  When calls slow down or when agents are on break, they can watch and listen to the broadcast materials.  We hope it raises their awareness of the benefits of natural gas and helps them provide better service to customers."

When they recently played, Safety Culture and the Sales Skills with Russ Petersen, he said there were about 200 people in both centers that watched off and on when they had time.  Great best practices example of how to expand your internal viewership!

To offer more input and suggestions for 2011 please take 3 minutes to fill out our survey, https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SGANetwork2011survey

For a brief tutorial on How to use the SGANetwork.org website please watch the 7 minute web conference. http://www.sganetwork.org/index.php/learning-tracks?task=viewvideo&video_id=261  

Yours in learning,

Natalie Corey, ncorey@southerngas.org

 

 

On August 17^th and 18^th, the SGA Professional Development Committee introduced a new leadership workshop in Atlanta.  David Foster Jones presented "Managing for Business Results".  Participants from Scana, Municipal Gas Authority of George, Washington Gas and Nisource learned how to achieve results through strategic planning and teamwork.

The SGA Professional Development Committee is comprised of training professionals from SGA Member Companies and meets to share best practices, solve common problems and explore potential collaborative projects that will bring greater information and efficiencies to respective organizations. The Committee developed and manages SGA's Leadership Certification Program.

For more information on future workshops, please contact Nadine Fred nfred@southerngas.org

Natalie Corey, ncorey@southerngas.org

 

Kim Cocklin, President and COO and Bob Best, Chairman and CEO

The SGA Network helped Atmos Energy produce their quarterly employee satellite broadcast on August 19^th.  The program originated from Independence, Kansas home to Atmos' Colorado-Kansas Division.  Mr. Best and Mr. Cocklin introduced Natural Gas Week that will start November 10^th. This three day celebration will take place throughout the enterprise.  Each day will begin with a short meeting in all of the sites where employees will learn more about the great product - natural gas.  Atmos' goal is to create 5,000 employee ambassadors for natural gas that will be armed with the latest information about the benefits of natural gas and can spread the good word to the community. 

If you need help producing your companies employee meeting, please contact Natalie Corey, ncorey@southerngas.org

 

 

Keith Morris, Mike Grubb (SGA; standing) and Mark Milliken 

We caught up with Mark Milliken, Safety Director, Panhandle Energy (a Southern Union Co.), in the SGA Network studios. Mark is the 2010 SGA Safety & Health Committee Chairman. Mark shared his thoughts around creating an effective safety culture.

Keith Morris, Sr. Safety Rep., Florida Gas Transmission (also a Southern Union Co.), followed Mark and shared some practical tools for performing safety audits. We called his presentation, "Tool Time" as it provides tips operations professionals can use right now!

Visit the SGA Network home page to view this August program.

Natalie Corey, ncorey@southerngas.org

 

 

 

The SGA Network Programming Committee was in Atlanta August 4-6 to map out the programming for 2011.  A sample of what the Committee is considering includes: Personal Effectiveness (business etiquette and industry knowledge); Leadership (change management and creating, conveying and owning a vision); Operations (all kinds of stuff like DIMP and CRM); and Safety.

We will post the 2011 program ideas and dates in October! 

Stay tuned!

Natalie Corey, ncorey@southerngas.org

 Business Acumen: "Getting to the Bottom Line in the Gas Industry"

We have a great web conference planned for Tuesday, July 13th at 9:30 AM CT.    Paradigm Learning, http://www.paradigmlearning.com/ has teamed with CenterPoint Energy in Houston, Texas to bring us this program.

If you are a SGA Network member please, click this link to register for this program, on-line with Webex.

https://sganetwork.webex.com/sganetwork/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=820095786

Participants will be able to:

• Define and use common financial terms such as assets, liabilities, equity, depreciation, etc.
• Recognize and use company-specific financial terms and measurements.
• Relate the impact of product discounting and/or price increases to profitability.

See you on-line!

Natalie Corey, ncorey@southerngas.org

Leading Through Influence & Politics

I hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th of July!  Welcome back!

Please tune in on Thursday, July 8th for our program with Dr. Ken Eastman from Oklahoma State University.  I think you'll find his insight on how leadership and politics are intertwined enlightening.  He advises us to be cautious, controlled, patient and diplomatic.

Yours in learning,

Natalie Corey, ncorey@southerngas.org

 

 

The June broadcast, "Expanding the Reliable Natural Gas Transmission System with Enhanced Quality Practices" was taped May 28^th in the AMS studios in Dallas. Rich Hoffman, Executive Director, INGAA, moderated. His panel included Dan Martin, El Paso, Jeryl Mohn, Panhandle, and Mark Hereth, P-PIC. This is a picture of the panel just prior to taping. Check out more pics on the SGA Facebook Fanpage.

 

Dr. Darin L. George, Southwest Research Institute

I would like to invite you to register for the Natural Gas Quality Web Workshop.  The series, presented by Dr. Darin George of Southwest Research Institute, begins on Tuesday, May 18^th at 9:30 AM CT.  The purpose of this series is to discuss how:

• Natural gas is bought and sold based on both its energy content and its flow rate: E (MMBtu) = Q × H_v
• With changes in gas supplies, the industry is emphasizing gas quality and heating value determination.
• This seminar will provide the background for participants to:

- Understand gas quality measures

- Understand the impact of changing gas quality on operations

- Correctly assess gas quality in pipelines

I look forward to seeing you on-line!

Yours in Learning,

Natalie Corey, 205-335-1805, ncorey@southerngas.org