nsformed into a model of self-directed leaders who share knowledge amongst each other, creating an environment of continuos improvement. According to the American Management Association “Phil Carroll has led Shell Oil Company toward a significant transformation of its corporate culture. It is comprised of a new vision, a new business model, a new system of governance, a new concept of leadership, and the use of learning as both the foundation of Shell's transformation and a permanent part of its culture.” (Brenneman, Keys, and Fulmer, 1998, p. 66) To become an organization that would survive another 100 years, RDS and its subsidiaries had to re-examine their culture. The leaders of the company, middle management, and the employees needed to start viewing mistakes as opportunities to increase learning. This is an integral part of the learning organization. The person or persons making the mistake should own it so it is not repeated, but not be persecuted for making them. Mistakes can illuminate a flaw in any system, and the opportunity to improve should not be missed. The manager becomes more of a learner and a teacher. The idea that a leader is the person with all the answers needed to be thrown out the window. In today’s rapidly changing environment, there is no such person. Without the ability to embrace mistakes, any company will perish. Royal Dutch Shell and SOC also needed to be able to continuously rework its systems and structures. This was a huge transformation considering the sheer size of the organization. The same old way would simply not continue to work. Steve Miller, managing director for RDS, spoke about their presence in French retail market. “We were in the red and losing market share. The advent of hypermarkets had changed the game, and we weren’t responding effectively to this new competitive threat….we either had to find a way to become profitable and grow, or we h...
