Being able to listen is the first rule to manage a team

Managing a work team in a Terna district or “transmission department” represents a «challenge within a challenge», especially during a phase in which the company is changing the way it works and the objectives linked with her role of director of the Italian electricity system and enabler of the energy transition. The commitment and total dedication put into the activities carried out are testament to the pride and passion that young engineers feel when they become part of this company: that is how Giulia Masala, currently the Head of the Scheduling Team of the Villasor Plant Unit (south Sardinia), described her work experience with the Italian national transmission grid operator.

Contributing to Terna’s cultural transformation and tackling the great challenge of energy transition with passion «is a great responsibility, despite the many difficulties and the daily effort required. Welcoming this challenge makes us perceive, day after day, the importance of the work we carry out and of the commitment we take upon ourselves towards the community. This certainly is a reason to work with pride and to always do our best».

With a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Cagliari, Giulia started to work for Terna when she had just graduated, initially in the unit that was at the time known as Measurements and Testing Technical Coordination and which is now part of the "districts" and "transmission departments" areas following reorganisation. «During the first three years, I dealt with the planning of electricity lines and optical connections as well as data analysis and reports supporting strategic decisions for the maintenance and renewal of plants».

With commitment and constant work, and thanks to the results achieved every day, Giulia soon became a point of reference for the colleagues who were part of her units and from other structures, leading her managers to entrust her with the supervision of the scheduling team at the Villasor Plant Unit in January 2022. It was a «progressive yet swift path in assuming increasing responsibilities and proxies in the daily activities that led me, in just a few years after graduating, to taking on the role of team manager».

«My team is made up of four people and every day we manage the plan unit budget, monitoring the progression and performing analyses that support the Head of the Plant Unit in the decision-making process.” In addition, the scheduling team performs a key role when it comes to safety and the environment as well as everything concerning the facility sector e.g. the management of the vehicle fleet or of the so-called "global service" contracts. These activities are fundamental for the correct functioning of the large machine that is the plant unit».

Being a point of reference for a group of people means gathering consent and directing energy towards a shared objective as well as managing to positively tackle change. A role that requires constance, perseverance and determination. But also enthusiasm and curiosity, that develop and "train" skills such as resilience and elasticity. «All activities are dynamic. You need to be flexible, open to dialogue and change. You often need to scrutinize and manage problems and reach a solution together. This is the most difficult yet the most stimulating part of our work, as it increases engagement and conveys value to our work while making everyone feel part of a team capable of successfully tackling difficulties».

In addition to the purely technical aspects, every day you need to work to create an environment that makes everyone feel valued and part of the group. «Being a good manager means reaching the objectives by creating a healthy and creative environment where everybody is free to fully express their talent». As she herself says and recommends to those who wish to embark on her same career, you need to persevere, be flexible and active but, most of all, you need to be able to listen. «This is essential, if you want to work in a team and reach objectives together».