Executive Summary
An oil and gas company partnered with All Around Performance to tackle critical leadership and communication challenges at the frontline level. Through targeted leadership development and cultural realignment, they realized over $4 million in savings by improving operational efficiency, reducing downtime, and enhancing team accountability during a major turnaround.

As, one of Canada’s largest independent crude oil and natural gas producers, operates complex, high-risk assets across Alberta’s oil sands. During a planned turnaround event, leadership identified that the core performance bottleneck wasn’t technical; it was human. Despite having robust systems and skilled technicians, they observed poor communication across operational levels, a lack of ownership at the frontline, delays caused by unclear expectations and reactive management, and increased safety risks due to poor team cohesion under pressure. Given the high costs and tight timelines of turnarounds, even minor inefficiencies had a significant impact. It became clear that what was needed wasn’t just compliance, but a cultural and behavioural shift grounded in commitment.

The Solution
The company brought in All Around Performance to deliver a custom frontline leadership development program tailored to the realities of a high-stakes turnaround. The training empowered operators to lead from the front, regardless of their title, while sharpening strategic communication skills to bridge critical gaps between departments. It instilled an ownership mindset, transforming clock-punchers into fully engaged team members who took pride in their roles. Drawing on military-informed decision-making models, the program equipped workers to act decisively under pressure. Most importantly, it focused on building cohesive teams capable of thriving in the intensity of real-time operations. This wasn’t theory, it was leadership in action, delivered on site and woven directly into the fabric of daily turnaround activities.

Implementation

The All Around team deployed:

• Pre-turnaround leadership workshops
• On-site mentorship during critical path operations
• Toolbox talk training modules tailored to crew leaders
• Real-time feedback loops with supervisors to identify behavioural gaps

The training empowered crews to anticipate needs, reduce rework, and resolve cross-functional issues before they became delayed.

Results

The outcome was measurable and significant:

• $4 million in cost savings, attributed to improved productivity, reduced rework, and time saved during the turnaround
• Reduced safety incidents and downtime
• Noticeable improvement in morale, initiative, and communication
• Long-term adoption of leadership practices across other facilities

One plant leader remarked:
“Without this leadership support, we would not have achieved the world-class results we did. This training was the multiplier.”

Lessons Learned

• Empowerment at the frontline level is the key to operational excellence
• Culture and communication are not “soft” issues, they directly impact the bottom line
• Training that’s embedded into real work delivers sustainable change

Conclusion
All Around Performance didn’t just help the company run a smoother turnaround, we helped reveal the untapped strength within their own people. What unfolded was more than a leadership shift; it was a cultural awakening. Teams once caught in routine stepped up with purpose, owning their roles like never before. The result? Not just beating deadlines but achieving the near-impossible: finishing a major turnaround under budget. In an industry where cost overruns are expected and accepted, this was a triumph. To stand in front of shareholders and speak not only of operational success, but of a workforce transformed, that’s not just a win. That’s legacy.