Advice for Leadership and Life In three decades of leadership, John Huff, CE 68, has helped Oceaneering International Inc. become the premier organization in underwater technologies. He grew the business from a small diving company to a highly successful corporation with pioneering technologies that have been used to explore deep ocean basins and outer space. He has achieved a lot in the business world, and he says that understanding people is a key to leadership and success. Huff returned to the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering for the Kenneth Hyatt Distinguished Speaker Series on Oct. 3, 2019. Huff’s demeanor was warm and casual as he shared stories and anecdotes from his life and career to illustrate what it means to be a leader with around 100 CEE students and distinguished guests. “Leaders and followers need to have a common vision of what they are doing,” Huff said. “A leader is someone who sets expectations of followers and helps followers achieve expectations.” What’s important about that, Huff said, is that not everyone you lead will need the same kind of help to succeed. Some people may require motivation, while others will need more knowledge to achieve their goals. In the same vein, Huff said it’s important to remember what it’s like to be both a leader and a follower. “In your lifetime, you’re not always going to be the leader. Many times, you’re going to be the follower. You need to learn both sides of the equation,” Huff said. After graduating from Georgia Tech in 1968, Huff began his career working for two pioneering offshore drilling companies: The Offshore Company and Zapata Offshore. He later joined Western Oceanic and worked his way up to chairman and CEO of the company, where he developed a detailed knowledge of offshore operations through his work around the globe.
John Huff
KENNETH HYATT DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP SPEAKER
From left: Former Georgia Tech first lady Val Peterson, Karen and John Huff School Chair Donald Webster, Karen Huff, Professor Adjo Amekudzi-Kennedy, Hyatt speaker John Huff and President Emeritus G.P. "Bud" Peterson
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Fall 2019 Hyatt Lecture
“In your lifetime, you’re not always going to be the leader. Many times, you’re going to be the follower. You need to learn both sides of the equation.”
