Leadership has good intentions, but it's slow
Shell is a solid company overall with good benefits, but the top-level leadership and bureaucracy can really slow things down and make day-to-day work frustrating, especially for project teams.
You learn a ton working for a corporate giant like Shell, especially in the energy sector. There's usually solid support from your direct manager, which helps as a Project Manager in complex projects. The focus on safety in the oil and gas industry is genuinely strong.
Upper leadership often feels out of touch with day-to-day operations in the Houston office. Decisions take forever; the bureaucracy can be really frustrating for Project Manager roles. It's tough to get quick approvals for important initiatives.
Try to empower mid-level managers more and trust their judgment. Speed up decision-making processes; the long approval cycles are a major bottleneck. Listen more to feedback from the project teams and the field.