Getting GRITTY with Rhonda J Morris

We had the opportunity to connect with Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Rhonda Morris, to gain some insightful views on grit and leadership. This week, our conversation centers around the Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Chevron.

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At ALLY, we define GRIT as — Growth. Resilience. Innovation and Talent.

What part of grit resonates with you most personally? Professionally? And why?

I keep a Winston Churchill quote on my refrigerator – “Never, never, never give up”. It inspires and motivates me every day, especially when faced with what appear to be insurmountable challenges.

At ALLY, we believe role models are important. Who in your work and life have been role models of GRIT? Can you tell us who they are and what you learned from them?

Agreed, role models are important. My grandfather worked for Exxon from 1940 to 1961. He was a laborer at their Baton Rouge refinery. I keep his work ID on my desk and every day it is a reminder of my family's connections to the industry. My grandfather passed away before I was born, but my father always told stories of how hard he worked. Even though we never met, he passed on a strong work ethic.

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The energy transition is the single largest challenge of our lifetime. As a lifetime achievement award winner, if you look at what the end of your career might look like when you retire — what will you be most proud of in our quest for a lower carbon future? What does that look like for the industry? What does that look like for you?

I will be proud of Chevron’s ability to attract, retain, and develop the talent needed to deliver lower-carbon energy to a growing world. I believe there has never been a better time to be in energy and when I retire, I will be honored to have been part of shaping a lower carbon future. It is a simple and profound purpose that keeps me invigorated every day.