Occidental Petroleum of Qatar (Oxy Qatar) and the Qatar Society of Petroleum Engineers (QSPE) recently hosted a ‘motivational workshop’ for Young Petroleum Professionals (YPPs) at the Hamad Bin Khalifa University Student Center. The workshop, titled “The impact of intrinsic motivation on business results,” was presented by Giovanni Paccaloni, retired vice president of ENI and past president of the Society of Petroleum Engineers. The workshop provided insight into technical competence and the passion to use competence to achieve excellent business results. It also explored the journey from technical competence to business excellence by creating an environment where intrinsic motivation and passion can flourish. Attendees included students from Qatar University, Texas A & M University in Qatar, and other YPPs.