[00:00:02]
[City of Austin Young Professionals Spring Event]
I THINK WE ARE ABOUT TO START, SO IF YOU WANT TO KIND OF QUIET DOWN JUST A BIT, WE CAN GET THIS THING GOING.SO FORGIVE ME, IT'S BEEN A MINUTE SINCE I'VE DONE PUBLIC SPEAKING, SO I WILL REFER TO MY NOTES.
UM, HELLO AND WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE AWESOME C O A Y P SPRING EVENT.
UM, I KNOW IT'S KIND OF MANDATORY FOR CITY FUNCTIONS TO HAVE AN INTRO THAT RUNS ENTIRELY TOO LONG, BUT I'M GONNA STRAY FROM TRADITION AND NOT DO THAT.
HOPEFULLY WHAT I WILL DO AT THE BARE MINIMUM IS THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT HERE TODAY.
SO TO THE ARTIST, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR ART WITH US.
TO THE PANELIST, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR TIME AND YOUR INSIGHTS, UH, TO THE C O A Y P BOARD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PUTTING THIS ON.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, TO ALL THE ATTENDEES, THANK YOU FOR JUST COMING OUT.
HOPEFULLY YOU HAVE A GOOD TIME.
UM, AND OUR, I JUST GOING STRAIGHT INTO IT, WE'RE GOING TO START OFF WITH, UH, ONE OF OUR ARTISTS WHO'S DOING A VOCAL PERFORMANCE, AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO THE REST OF THE SHINDIG.
BUT IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE US.
MY NAME IS JAMIE COOK, AND I WORK WITH, UM, ALYSSA.
THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME AND INVITING ME TO SHARE WITH YOU IN SONG.
UM, I'VE BEEN TOLD I'M A VOCAL ARTIST, SO I'M GONNA ACCEPT THAT I'VE BEEN SINGING A LONG TIME, BUT I DON'T HAVE MY OWN SONGS, BUT I SING OTHER PEOPLE'S SONGS TOO.
SO, UH, THIS SONG THAT I'M WANTING TO SING, YES, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OLD SCHOOL, BUT ANY, IF ANY OF YOU HEARD THE SONG ABOUT HARVEST FOR THE WORLD BY THE ISLEY BROTHERS, THIS IS A SONG THAT TOUCHES MY HEART, AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT.
AND IF YOU WANNA CLAP YOUR HANDS A LITTLE BIT, GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER, EVERYBODY.
HELP ME OUT JUST A LITTLE BIT.
OH, BABIES TOGETHER, EVERYONE SEE SEED.
HALF OF US INDEED LOVES BOUNTIFUL US TARNISHED BY OUR, OH, WHEN WILL THERE BE A HARVEST FOR THE WORLD? YAY.
CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? PRETTY GOOD OUT THERE.
SO CONCERNED WITH GAIN AS THE SEASONS COME AND GO.
AND FAR TOO MANY FEELING THE STRAIN.
OH, WHEN WILL THERE BE A HARVEST FOR THE WORLD? YAY.
GIVE THANKS FOR YOUR CHILDREN.
HOPING LIFE GETS BETTER FOR THE WORLD.
Y'ALL CAN CLAP YOUR HANDS, TOO.
OH, HERE'S THE LAST VERSE, VERSE FOUR.
DRESS ME UP FOR BATTLE WHEN ALL I WANT IS PEACE.
THOSE OF US WHO PAY THE PRIZE, COME HOME WITH THE PLEASE AND NATION AFTER NATION TURNING INTO BEAST.
OH, WHEN WILL THERE BE A HARVEST FOR
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THE, YEAH.WHEN WILL THERE BE? I WANNA KNOW NOW.
NOW, WHEN WILL THERE BE A HARVEST? WHEN WILL THERE BE A HARVEST? WHEN WILL THERE BE A, WHEN WILL THERE BE A HARVEST? I'M TALKING ABOUT THE CHILDREN.
WHEN WILL THERE BE A, WHEN WILL THERE BE A, WHEN WILL THERE BE A, WHEN WILL THERE BE A, A HARVEST FOR THE WORLD? Y'ALL CAN SING IT WITH ME.
HARVEST FOR THE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I CAN HELP YOU TAKE ALL THIS STUFF DOWN.
WHERE'S THE C O A Y P GRAM GRAMMY THAT WE'RE GONNA GIVE OUT?
UM, SO YEAH, LIKE I SAID, I'M A TERRIBLE PUBLIC SPEAKER.
IT'S BEEN A MINUTE, BUT, UH, GENERAL HOUSEKEEPING STUFF.
I'M PRETTY SURE A CITY OF AUSTIN HAS A MANDATORY, IF WE HAVE MORE THAN THREE PEOPLE IN A ROOM AT A MEETING, WE GOTTA DO EMERGENCY EXITS.
I'M PRETTY SURE WE CAN ASSUME OUR MUSTER POINT IS JUST GONNA BE INSIDE THE GARAGE.
UM, SO YEAH, IF THERE'S A FIRE OR ANYTHING COMMONLY WALK OUT, GO TO THE GARAGE.
I THINK THAT'S THE GENERAL PLACE THAT PEOPLE GO.
UM, BEYOND THAT, FEEL FREE TO HELP YOURSELF TO FOOD DURING THE PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE A LITTLE VALIDATOR OVER THERE.
SO AT THE END, OR DURING THE PRESENTATIONS, IF YOU WANT TO GO VALIDATE YOUR PARKING, BY ALL MEANS, IT'S GOOD FOR 24 HOURS.
SO, YOU KNOW, UM, I BELIEVE THERE'S GOING TO BE A AFTER PARTY OF SORTS OVER AT EASY TIGER.
IF YOU WANT TO GO, YOU CAN STAY PARKED IN THE GARAGE.
UM, AND YEAH, JUST, UH, HOPEFULLY HAVE A GOOD TIME.
I'M GONNA PASS IT OFF TO JACOB, AND HE'S GOING TO GO OVER SOME GENERAL STUFF.
YOU WANNA PUT IT IN? THANK YOU.
LIKE JOSH, IT'S BEEN A MINUTE SINCE I'VE DONE SOME PUBLIC SPEAKING.
I JUST HAD SOME THINGS I WANTED TO SHARE.
UH, UH, I, I WROTE SOME MARKS, UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME AGAIN TO INTRODUCE ALL OF YOU TO, UH, THE EVENT TONIGHT.
UH, THIS IS OUR FIRST ANNUAL SPRING EVENT.
AND THIS AFTERNOON, UH, MARKS THE END OF A VERY SUCCESSFUL BOARD YEAR IN THE FIRST YEAR FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, YOUNG PROFESSIONALS AS AN OFFICIAL CITYWIDE EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUP.
AND IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT, UH, THIS WORK DID NOT HAPPEN IN A VACUUM.
UH, IT ACTUALLY BEGAN IN 2018 WHEN SADIE LAMBERT AND HER TEAM OF BOARD MEMBERS, UH, CHRISTIAN IS ONE OF THEM HERE.
UH, THEY MET AND CONCEIVED OF AND FOUNDED C O A Y P WITH THE PURPOSE OF ATTRACTING, RETAINING, MENTORING, AND TRAINING YOUNG PROFESSIONALS AND TO CULTIVATE LEADERS AND IMPROVE INTERGENERATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND DISSOLVED STEREOTYPES.
AND THEIR TIMING COULDN'T HAVE BEEN BETTER.
AS WE'RE COMING OUT OF A POST PANDEMIC ERA, UH, WE'RE RETURNING TO A CHANGED ORGANIZATIONAL LANDSCAPE HERE AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
MANY OF OUR FORMER PEERS HAVE OPTED FOR RETIREMENT, AND THE CITY HAS FACED HIRING AND RETENTION ISSUES AS A RESULT OF A DYNAMIC AND CHALLENGING LABOR MARKET.
THE CITY CANNOT COMPETE FOR CANDIDATES IN THE SAME WAY THAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR WHO DID JOIN.
THERE WEREN'T MANY CHANCES TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS ACROSS THE CITY OUTSIDE OF OUR VIRTUAL MEETING SPACES.
AND THIS IS A CHALLENGE WE KNEW WE WOULD CONFRONT AS A BOARD WHEN I FIRST JOINED AROUND THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
IF THE CITY CANNOT COMPETE, UH, WITH REMOTE, WITH PAY OR REMOTE WORK, FLEXIBILITY, OR ANY OF THE OTHER FACTORS THAT, UH, CANDIDATES WERE CONSIDERING, AND WE KNEW WE CAN COMPETE WITH CULTURE, A CULTURE WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE CAN MAKE FRIENDS AND DEVELOP THEIR CAREERS AND MAKE AN IMPACT ON THEIR WORKPLACE.
A CULTURE WHERE THE CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOY FEELS THAT THEY CAN BRING MORE THEMSELVES TO WORK, AND WHERE THEY FEEL SEEN AND APPRECIATED FOR THE PEOPLE THEY ARE AND NOT FOR, JUST FOR THE WORK THEY DO TO SERVE THE PUBLIC, THE CULTURE OF CONNECTION.
AND TO CREATE A CULTURE, YOU NEED A COMMUNITY.
AND SO THIS BOARD, EVERYBODY WEARING ONE OF OUR YP SHIRTS SET OUT TO DO THE WORK.
A BUILDING, AN ORGANIZATION THAT OFFERS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL, AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES TO MEMBERS.
WE MET FOR LEADERSHIP TALKS WITH OUR EXECUTIVE SPONSORS.
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WE HAD TRIVIA NIGHTS AND HAPPY HOURS.WE WENT TO A FEW CONCERTS, AND WE, A SMALL HANDFUL OF US VOLUNTEERED TO, UH, ORGANIZE AND BOX OVER 200 WINTER COACH FOR CHILDREN IN THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT AHEAD OF THEIR HOLIDAY BREAK.
UH, THERE WAS USUAL, UH, EXCHANGES LIKE, WHAT DO YOU DO FOR WORK? AND WHICH DEPARTMENT DO YOU WORK FOR? BUT THE REAL IMPACT IS BEST VIEWED OVER TIME AT AND BETWEEN THOSE EVENTS.
WE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT EACH OTHER.
A LOT OF YOU WERE CONSULTANTS AND ANALYSTS AND MANAGERS AND ENGINEERS, UH, OPERATORS, SPECIALISTS, THE WHOLE GAMUT OF TITLES AND JOB DESCRIPTIONS.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE HERE TODAY, A LOT OF YOU ARE ALSO MUSICIANS AND FISHERMEN AND NATURALISTS AND POETS AND PARENTS AND READERS AND ARTISTS.
YOU'RE SKILLED AND GENEROUS AND AMBITIOUS AND CREATIVE AND REALLY WORTHY OF BEING KNOWN.
AND I BELIEVE THAT, UH, THIS COLLAGE OF IDENTITIES AND QUALITIES IS REALLY WHAT AND WHO THE YOUNG PROFESSIONAL IS.
UH, BUT THE COOL THING IS THAT WE ACTUALLY DIDN'T DO IT ALONE.
UH, WE HAD HELP FROM PEOPLE LIKE JAMES COLLINS, IF YOU KNOW JAMES AND, AND KATIE MCNEIL, WHO TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO ORGANIZE AND COMMUNICATE SOCIAL AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES WITH THEIR FELLOW MEMBERS.
WE HAD PEOPLE LIKE JEFF SORENSON AND DAVID GOTTLIEB AT CTM, UH, WHO HELPED US TROUBLESHOOT AND RESOLVE OUR SHAREPOINT CALENDAR AND ACCESS ISSUES, UH, SO THAT EVERY EMPLOYEE AT THE CITY COULD LEARN ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE'RE OFFERING.
AT H R D, WE HAD JANET SILVA AND STACEY FABIAN, WHO WORKED BEHIND THE SCENES TO SUPPORT THIS EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUP AND TO SET US UP, UH, ON MICROSOFT LMS 365, SO THAT MEMBERS COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR WORKDAY TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES.
AND WE ALSO HAD HYMAN CASTILLO, I DON'T SEE HYMAN, BUT, UH, HE SHARED HIS EXPERTISE IN BACKGROUND IN THE ART COMMUNITY SO THAT WE COULD ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS IN OUR ARTIST SURVEY FOR THIS AFTERNOON'S EVENT.
AND MANY MORE OF YOU CONTRIBUTED IN OTHER WAYS WITH YOUR MENTORSHIP AND SUPPORT.
THANK YOU, EXECUTIVE SPONSORS, UH, BY MAKING YOURSELVES AVAILABLE AS RESOURCES, UH, FOR OUR MEMBERS, AND FOR SHARING OUR NEWSLETTER AND EVENTS WITH YOUR TEAMS. SO, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU TO THE BOARD.
UH, THIS HAS, UH, BEEN A VERY REWARDING YEAR WORKING WITH YOU.
UH, EACH OF YOU VOLUNTEERED YOUR TIME TO SERVE YOUR PEERS, AND YOU HONORED YOUR COMMITMENTS, UH, WITHOUT ANY ROADMAPS OR SIGNPOSTS.
WE WORKED TOGETHER TO FIND A WAY FORWARD, AND EACH OF YOU BROUGHT YOUR OWN UNIQUE PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL QUALITIES TO THE TEAM.
AND PERHAPS WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING IT, YOU DE YOU DEMONSTRATED THE STRENGTH OF YOUR CHARACTER AS PEOPLE AND AS TEAMMATES, UH, EACH OF YOU REALLY TOUCHED AND MOVED ME TO BE A BETTER LEADER.
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK EACH OF YOU FOR THE LESSONS OF THE PAST HEARING FOR HELPING LEAD THIS ORGANIZATION FORWARD.
SO, IN CLOSING, UH, AS I MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF MY REMARKS, UH, THIS WE'RE, UH, WE'RE COMING TO THE END OF A C O A Y P BOARD YEAR.
AND THAT MEANS SEVERAL OF OUR OFFICERS, LIKE ANN AND, AND JOSHUA, UM, THEIR TERMS ARE, ARE ENDING THIS MONTH.
SO I'D LIKE TO INVITE THOSE OF YOU WHO DO HAVE THE TIME AND WHO DO BELIEVE IN SERVICE AND WHO, AND THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING TO JOIN US NEXT TUESDAY FOR A CANDIDATE INFORMATION SESSION WHERE WE WILL BASICALLY PULL A VEIL BACK, POP THE HOOD, AND LET EVERYBODY SEE HOW WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER OVER THE PAST YEAR, AND TALK ABOUT A LITTLE, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE PLAN TO DO IN THE YEAR TO COME.
UH, MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT CAN BE FOUND ON OUR SHAREPOINT SITE.
UM, THERE'S AN EVENT ON THERE THAT YOU CAN DOWNLOAD AND ADD TO YOUR CALENDAR TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN ATTEND, EVEN IF YOU'RE UNCERTAIN OR EVEN REMOTELY INTERESTED.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO JOIN US, UH, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT.
UH, THIS COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO DEVELOP AND MAKE AN IMPACT AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
JUST NOW I WILL TURN IT OVER TO CHASE TO GET OUR PANEL STARTED.
CAN WE GET ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR JACOB, OUR CHAIR? UH, HELLO.
I'M THE CAREER AND LIFE OFFICER AT YP.
UH, I'M GONNA BE FACILITATING THE PANEL DISCUSSION.
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UM, WE HAVE SOME GREAT MINDS IN THE ROOM AT THE FRONT HERE, AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE ALL CURIOUS ABOUT HOW THEIR BRAINS WORK LIKE I AM.AND SO I'VE PREPARED A FEW QUESTIONS BEF BEFORE I AN ANSWER THEM.
BEFORE I ASK THEM, I'M GONNA INTRODUCE OUR PANELISTS.
JORGE EL MORALES WAS APPOINTED AS THE DIRECTOR OF WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT IN OCTOBER, 2019.
THE DEPARTMENT MISSION IS TO PROTECT LIVES, PROPERTIES, AND THE ENVIRONMENT FROM THE IMPACTS OF FLOODING, EROSION, AND WATER POLLUTION.
IN HIS ROLE, HE LOOKS FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS TO KEEP AUSTINITE SAFE.
EARLY IN HIS CAREER, MR. MORALES SERVED IN THE US ARMY AS A COMMUNICATION SERGEANT.
THE MILITARY ENABLED HIM TO GROW AS A LEADER WHILE ATTAINING HIGHER EDUCATION.
AFTER HIS MILITARY SERVICE, MR. MORALES RECEIVED A CIVIL ENGINEERING DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, AND LATER WENT BACK AND RECEIVED A MASTER'S DEGREE FROM THE LBJ SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
WITH A FOCUS ON PUBLIC LEADERSHIP, MS. MR. MORALES REMAINS AN ACTIVE SERVANT LEADING BY VOLUNTEERING AT HIS CHURCH SCHOOLS, AND IN THE COMMUNITY.
HE ENJOYS MENTORING AND INSPIRING OTHERS TO GROW PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY.
ALL RIGHT, GOING DOWN THE LINE, ELAINE VECA VESELKA IS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF CUSTOMER ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT FOR AUSTIN ENERGY.
IN HER ROLE, ELAINE LEADS THE METER TO CASH COMPONENTS OF CITY OF AUSTIN UTILITIES, ENCOMPASSING METER READING METER INVESTIGATIONS, BILLING PAYMENTS, COLLECTIONS, UTILITY, CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTERS, CUSTOMER CARE, QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND TRAINING.
AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN UTILITY BILLING SYSTEM AND CUSTOMER FACING PORTAL.
CITY OF AUSTIN UTILITIES MANAGES CUSTOMER SERVICE AND BILLING FOR UP TO SEVEN CITY SERVICES.
VERY RECENTLY, ELAINE TOOK ON A ROLE AS ACTING VICE PRESIDENT OF ELECTRIC SYSTEM ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL SERVICES.
VIELKA HAS MORE THAN 25 YEARS OF LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE IN CUSTOMER ACCOUNT AND CUSTOMER SYSTEM MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING 20 YEARS AT REGULATED AND DEREGULATED UTILITIES IN SENIOR LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.
WHILE AT AUSTIN ENERGY, SHE HAS SERVED AS A DIRECTOR FOR CUSTOMER ESCALATIONS AND CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, DIRECTOR OF ELECTRIC SERVICE DELIVERY SUPPORT SERVICES, AND INTERIM VICE PRESIDENT FOR CUSTOMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, DANIEL WORD IS THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN CODE.
DANIEL HAS WORKED FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN SINCE 2006, STARTING AS A PLANNER IN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOR BOTH THE RESIDENTIAL REVIEW DIVISION AND THE DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT ASSISTANCE CENTER.
HE BECAME A SUPERVISOR IN 2012 AND THEN SERVED AS AN INTERIM MANAGER BEFORE COMING TO THE AUSTIN CODE DEPARTMENT IN OCTOBER, 2018.
HE HOLDS A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING FROM TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS, AS WELL AS THE ZONING INSPECTOR AND RESIDENTIAL BUILDING INSPECTOR CERTIFICATIONS FROM I CCC, ALONG WITH BEING A REGISTERED CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
SO AGAIN, I'M GONNA THANK THE THREE OF YOU FOR AGREEING TO BE ON OUR PANEL.
UM, UM, AND YEAH, LET'S JUST GET INTO IT.
AND I'M GONNA START WITH JORGE.
GO LEFT AND I'LL SWITCH IT UP AND GO WITH DANIEL AND THEN RIGHT.
BUT Y'ALL CAN FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN AND, YOU KNOW, HELP EACH OTHER OUT.
UM, SO JORGE, UH, UH, HOW DID YOU GET TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW? I HAD TO BORROW A CITY TRUCK TO GET HERE TODAY.
FOR ONE, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT ENGINEERS WERE.
I DIDN'T KNOW PUBLIC SERVICE, WHAT IT WAS ABOUT.
UH, SO I STARTED BY JUST SAYING THAT I DO TO THE MILITARY.
CAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS GONNA DO IN LIFE.
SO THE MILITARY DID SET THE PATH FOR A LOT OF WHO I AM AND HAS ACTUALLY HELPED DEVELOP ME.
AND SO BY THE TIME I GOT OUTTA THE MILITARY, I WAS A SERGEANT NCO, NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER.
SO I HAD DONE SOME LEADERSHIP WORK ALREADY IN THE MILITARY.
UM, THAT WAS MY FIRST START OF WHAT GOT ME HERE.
AND, UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WAS THE FIRST EVER IN MY FAMILY TO GO TO THE MILITARY.
SO I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE MILITARY WAS, BUT IT WAS KIND OF GOING INTO UNCHARTED TERRITORY BECAUSE I NEEDED A PATH FORWARD.
AND I THOUGHT THAT MIGHT GET, GET ME THERE, UH, FROM THE MILITARY.
I WENT TO COLLEGE AND, AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, WHILE I WAS IN THE MILITARY, I WAS GOING TO COLLEGE, COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
I GOT MY ASSOCIATES WHILE IN THE MILITARY, AND I STARTED MY BACHELOR'S IN ENGINEERING WHILE IN THE MILITARY.
SO WHEN I GOT OUT, I FINISHED MY ENGINEERING DEGREE AT UT.
AND ACTUALLY WHEN I STARTED AT UT I STARTED AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT AS AN INTERN IN 1998.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT BROUGHT ME FULL CIRCLE, I THINK AT SOME
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POINT IN MY LIFE.BUT, UM, AT THE TIME I WAS MARRIED, CAUSE I WASN'T YOUR TYPICAL TRADITIONAL STUDENT.
SO BY THE TIME I GRADUATED COLLEGE, I ALREADY HAD MY FIRST CHILD, UH, AND WENT TO WORK IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR A LITTLE BIT, WENT TO, UH, GO BACK TO THE CITY GOVERNMENT.
BUT IN THE DALLAS AREA WHERE I USED TO, WHERE I GREW UP, I GREW UP IN GARLAND, TEXAS.
SO WORKED FOR CITY OVERALL FOR FIVE YEARS, AND I LEARNED SO MUCH BEING IN A SMALL CITY, RIGHT? BECAUSE I GOT TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.
AND THEN IN OH NINE, WE DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO COME BACK TO AUSTIN.
I HAD MY THIRD CHILD BY THEN, UH, AND MY WIFE AND I SAID, WE, WE GOTTA RAISE OUR KIDS IN AUSTIN.
SO WE, WE MISSED AUSTIN, WE WERE GONE FOR FIVE YEARS.
AND IF YOU LEAVE FIVE YEARS, IT CHANGES, RIGHT? IT SURE DID.
BY, IN THE FIVE YEARS WE WERE GONE.
SO WE CAME BACK IN OH NINE, UM, STARTED AT WATERSHED AGAIN, UH, WORKING IN FLOOD MITIGATION.
AND WITHIN TWO YEARS I WAS A SUPERVISOR.
UH, IN 2016 I GOT THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY FOR THE EXECUTIVE ROLE.
SO I BECAME AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN PUBLIC WORKS.
AND SO I GOT TO WORK ON VERY COOL PROJECTS ALL OVER THE CITY, UH, WORKING WITH GREAT TEAM AT PUBLIC WORKS.
AND LIKE CHASE SAID EARLIER IN 2019 WHILE IN GRAD SCHOOL, I, I COMPETED FOR THIS ROLE, UH, AND I WAS BLESSED TO BE SELECTED AS A NEXT DIRECTOR.
AND SO THAT'S MY FULL JOURNEY, HOW I ENDED UP IN THE SEA.
UH, THE WHOLE GROWTH DURING THE PANDEMIC AND FINISHING GRAD SCHOOL DURING THE PANDEMIC IS A WHOLE NOTHER STORY FOR ANOTHER DAY.
UM, I WENT TO UT AS WELL, AND I HAVE A DEGREE IN APPLIED LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT YOUTH AND COMMUNITY STUDY, WHICH IS NOTHING TO DO WITH UTILITIES.
SO SIMILAR TO JORGE, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK ANYONE COMES OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE AND IS LIKE, I WANNA WORK IN THE UTILITIES, UH, SPACE, EVEN PROBABLY ENGINEERS.
UM, SO I DIDN'T USE THAT DEGREE.
IT'S BASICALLY A TEACHING DEGREE WITHOUT A CERTIFICATE.
UM, I TOOK ON A ROLE AS LIKE A CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER FOR A SMALL COMPANY AND THEN JUST KIND OF WENT WITH THAT.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WANTED TO BE WHEN I GREW UP, RIGHT? UM, SO JUST DID THAT, WORKED IN A VARIETY OF INDUSTRIES, UH, PROMOTED, WORKED IN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, FOUND KIND OF MY JAM AND CUSTOMER ACCOUNTS AND KIND OF, YOU KNOW, BILLING SYSTEMS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
UM, AND IN EARLY TWO THOUSANDS I KIND OF FELL INTO THE UTILITY INDUSTRY.
SO I WENT TO WORK FOR ENERGY, UM, TEXAS AND HAD NO IDEA UTILITIES WAS A THING.
UM, WENT FROM THERE TO WORK FOR, UM, A DIVISION OF FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT.
AND SO THIS WAS DOWN IN HOUSTON.
AND THEN VERY SIMILAR, YOU KNOW, LOVED AUSTIN, WANTED TO COME BACK, UM, UH, MOVED BACK TO AUSTIN AND TOOK A ROLE WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, AND SO WHEN I STARTED IN 2008, I WAS A DIRECTOR, UM, AT THE COMPANY I LEFT.
AND SO COMING INTO THE CITY, I ACTUALLY, I HAD TO THINK IT WAS THIS A WAS THIS A STEP BACK? BUT I WENT TO A MANAGER ROLE.
UM, AND EVEN THOUGH THE TITLE WAS MAYBE, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT BACKWARDS AND IT WASN'T THE CAREER TRAJECTORY I HAD GOING, UM, I REALIZED, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE CITY WAS, HAD GREAT OPPORTUNITIES, RIGHT? AND SO I JUST, I REALLY WANTED TO GET ON, I REALLY AT THAT POINT, NEW UTILITIES WAS MY THING.
UM, TOOK OVER, YOU KNOW, WENT, CAME IN AS A COLLECTIONS MANAGER FOR CITY OF AUSTIN UTILITIES, THEN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GOT ONE OF THOSE.
AND, AND JORGE AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT IT LIKE STRETCH ASSIGNMENTS WHERE YOU, YOU GET, YOU KNOW, YOU KIND OF GET YOUR DUCKS IN A ROW AND THEN THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, YOU DO THAT, WELL ALSO DO THIS.
SO I TOOK ON ANOTHER DEPARTMENT, UM, A FEW, FEW YEARS LATER, RE UM, UH, BECAME A DIRECTOR OVER THOSE TWO DEPARTMENTS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT WAS REALLY EXCITING.
UM, ALL THE WHILE IN MY SAME KIND OF CUSTOMER SERVICE FACING ARENA.
UM, IN 2011, I ACTUALLY WENT OUTSIDE MY COMFORT ZONE AND, AND INTERVIEWED FOR A DIRECTOR POSITION OVER ON OUR ELECTRIC SERVICE DELIVERY SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF OUR FIELD OPERATIONS, POLES AND WIRES, ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
AND, UM, I GOT THE JOB, SO I WENT OVER THERE AND, YOU KNOW, I HAD TO BE, I WAS TELLING, WE'LL GET TO THAT IN A MINUTE, BEING SCARED EVERY DAY, BUT, YOU KNOW, WENT OVER THERE, LEARNED HOW TO DO THAT.
STAYED THERE FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF.
AND THEN, UM, THE POSITION OPENED UP FOR A VICE PRESIDENT OF CUSTOMER ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE I CAME FROM.
SO PROMOTED INTO THAT POSITION.
I'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR, UM, 10 YEARS NOW.
SO IT'S, IT'S, UM, IT'S FUN AND EXCITING AND, UM, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ON OTHER EXECUTIVE ROLES.
SO, UM, YEAH, BESIDES BEING SCARED EVERY DAY, SO I'M FIVE DAYS INTO MY NEW ACTING ROLE.
REALLY SCARED, REALLY SCARED, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'LL GET THERE.
UM, MY PANELISTS LIFE STORIES ARE MUCH MORE INTERESTING THAN MINE, I THINK.
UM, I DON'T KNOW, HOW DID I GET TO WHERE I AM? DUMB LUCK, I THINK.
[00:25:02]
UM, I, I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN AUSTIN.UM, MY DAD WAS A CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEE, UH, RETIRED AFTER 29 YEARS OF SERVICE.
UM, SO I, I SPENT MY CHILDHOOD KIND OF GROWING UP WITH THE CITY.
UM, WHEN I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD.
I REMEMBER SITTING IN THE BACK OF A ROOM AT A SOLID WASTE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING
LIKE, IT WAS JUST SO, I, I KIND OF ALWAYS KNEW I WANTED TO WORK FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT TREATED MY DAD AND HIS FAMILY WELL.
UM, AND SO I, I'M ALSO SOMEWHAT RISK AVERSE AND VALUE STABILITY, AND THE PUBLIC SECTOR OFFERS A CERTAIN LEVEL OF THAT THAT YOU DON'T NECESSARILY FIND IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
UM, SO ALL OF THAT KIND OF POINTED ME TOWARDS, YES, I WANT TO GET A JOB AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, AND SO GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL, UM, PURSUED A PATH THAT YOU EVENT STARTED OUT ACC DID ALL MY BASICS, UM, AND THEN ENROLLED IN UT AT THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING.
AND AFTER A YEAR OF THAT, I QUICKLY REALIZED THAT ENGINEERING WAS NOT GOING TO BE MY PATH
UM, AND SO I LEFT SCHOOL FOR A WHILE.
UM, WENT INTO PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, DID THAT FOR FIVE, FIVE-ISH YEARS.
UM, REALIZED AFTER THAT THAT I ALSO DIDN'T WANNA BE A PROPERTY MANAGER FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.
UM, BUT ANYWAY, UM, EVENTUALLY ENDED UP BACK AT SCHOOL, TEXAS STATE AND SAN MARCOS.
UM, GOT THE DEGREE IN URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING, UM, AND THEN SAID ABOUT APPLYING FOR JOBS, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND EVENTUALLY GOT ON AS A TEMPORARY EMPLOYEE, UM, WITH WHAT AT THE TIME WAS THE WATERSHED PROTECTION AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW DEPARTMENT.
UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN AT THE CITY LONG, YOU'LL LEARN THAT DEPARTMENTS GET MARRIED AND DIVORCED,
UM, AND SO THERE'S BEEN LOTS OF DIFFERENT NAMES FOR THE DEPARTMENTS OVER THE YEARS, BUT, UM, BUT, UH, STARTED MY CAREER AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS A TEMP.
UM, DID THAT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, EVENTUALLY APPLIED FOR, AND GOT A PERMANENT POSITION, UM, IN THE, WHAT WAS CALLED THE RESIDENTIAL REVIEW DIVISION.
UM, REVIEWING PERMIT APPLICATIONS.
UM, ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO A HOUSE GOES THROUGH THAT SHOP, VERY HIGH VOLUME.
UM, BUT IT WAS A FUN JOB, I LIKED IT.
UM, AND THEN I WENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE CENTER, GOT TO EXPAND MY KNOWLEDGE A LITTLE BIT ON THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS BY DOING THAT.
UM, LEARNED MORE ABOUT SITE PLAN PROCESS AND SUBDIVISION AND ZONING CHANGES.
SO I, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE BEEN WELL INTEGRATED INTO THE ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT WORLD FOR A WHILE NOW.
UM, EVENTUALLY WORKED MY WAY UP THERE AND THEN TOOK A KIND OF, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT WAS A RISK, BUT I MOVED APARTMENTS FOR THE FIRST TIME, UM, AND CAME TO AUSTIN CODE, UM, WHEN THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY AND HAVE WORKED MY WAY UP A LITTLE BIT THERE AS WELL.
LEARNED SOME NEW THINGS AT AUSTIN CODE THAT I DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE.
UM, AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK, OPENED UP ON THE EXECUTIVE TEAM, APPLIED FOR IT, WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS AND WAS LUCKY TO BE SELECTED.
UM, BUT I, I'M, I'M NOW 16 PLUS YEARS INTO MY CAREER AT THE CITY, AND THE ONE THING I CAN SAY IS I STILL LOVE WORKING FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, IT, IT CAN BE REALLY CHALLENGING.
UM, IT CAN BE STRESSFUL AT TIMES, BUT I THINK THERE'S ONE, A LEVEL OF STABILITY, BUT TWO, IT, IT FEELS GOOD TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE SERVING THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU LIVED IN AND IN MIKE'S CASE GREW UP IN.
AND SO I, I, I REALLY ENJOY THE ROLE THAT WE, THAT I PLAY.
GOING, GOING DOWN, WE'RE GONNA START WITH YOU, DANIEL, AND THEN GO RIGHT THIS TIME JUST TO KEEP IT INTERESTING.
UM, AND THIS IS, YEAH, THIS ISN'T A QUESTION THAT I CAME UP WITH, UM, BUT I THINK A LOT THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM MIGHT BE CURIOUS AS WELL.
HOW DO YOU THINK LEADERS THINK DIFFERENTLY THAN THE EMPLOYEES THEY MANAGE? UM, I DON'T KNOW IF I'D NECESSARILY DESCRIBE IT AS THINKING DIFFERENTLY.
UM, BUT YOU DEFINITELY, WHEN YOU MOVE INTO A LEADERSHIP ROLE, YOU'VE GOTTA TAKE A BROADER VIEW, UM, OF WHEN, WHEN YOU HAVE A PROBLEM TO SOLVE, YOU'VE GOT TO THINK UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM OF, OF WHAT, HOW DOES YOUR PROCESS INTERACT WITH OTHERS? WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF THOSE? UM, AND TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
I THINK EVERYONE'S CAPABLE OF MAKING THOSE KINDS OF, YOU KNOW, DECISIONS AND, AND THINKING ABOUT THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
IT'S JUST THAT, THAT'S THE ROLE WHEN YOU START TO
[00:30:01]
MOVE UP INTO LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, IS TO TAKE THAT BROAD VIEW, UM, AND COLLABORATE WITH THOSE GROUPS THAT YOU NEED TO, UM, WHETHER THAT'S INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL TO THE CITY, UM, TO TRY TO IMPLEMENT A SOLUTION THAT WORKS FOR ALL, UM, AND NOT JUST SOLVE YOUR OWN IMMEDIATE PROBLEM.UM, TO ME, THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE.
UM, BUT I'M SURE MY PANELISTS HAVE MORE TO OFFER.
I A A THOUSAND PERCENT AGREE WITH EVERYTHING DANIEL SAID.
IT'S, UM, YOU HAVE TO RECOGNIZE WHAT YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY BE A GREAT TECHNICIAN IN AN AREA, UM, BUT AS A LEADER OF THAT AREA, THEN YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND YOUR IMPACTS ON OTHER PEOPLE AND HOW OTHER PEOPLE IMPACT YOU IN, IN GROUPS AND, AND SO MUCH BIGGER PICTURE.
UM, I ALSO OFFER ADVICE TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY CONSIDER BE GOING INTO, UM, YOU KNOW, ANY SORT OF LEADERSHIP.
BUT AS A LEAD, A SUPERVISOR OR MANAGER, YOU ALSO HAVE TO KNOW THAT YOUR JOB IS NO LONGER JUST DOING THE WIDGETS OR WHATEVER THAT DEPARTMENT DOES, RIGHT? YOUR, YOUR, YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, YOUR NUMBER ONE RESPONSIBILITY IS THE PEOPLE THAT YOU SUPERVISE OR MANAGER LEAD.
AND, UM, IF YOU DON'T HAVE PATIENCE FOR THAT OR DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT, OR CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO KIND OF PUT THAT INTO ALSO DOING THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THE OPERATION, YOU, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A VERY, VERY HARD TIME.
SO ALSO, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT DOING, MAKE SURE A PART OF YOUR HEART AND A PART OF YOUR PASSION IS FOR, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPING OTHERS AND, AND WORKING WITH OTHERS AND, AND, UH, BEING A GOOD LEADER.
THE QUESTION WAS HOW DO LEADERS, LEADERS, CAN YOU REPEAT IT? SO I ANSWERED THE RIGHT QUESTION?
WHEN YOU FIRST SAID IT, I WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE THINK DIFFERENTLY.
WE ALL THINK WE ALL PROCESS, RIGHT? IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.
UM, MAYBE AT TIMES, LEADERS, THEY MAY GO TO THEIR HEADS AND THEY THINK THAT DIFFERENTLY, BUT NO, UH, I, I THINK YOUR POSITION GIVES YOU A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, RIGHT? BECAUSE, UH, LIKE IN MY ROLE AS A DIRECTOR, I JUST CAME FROM THE DIRECTORS MEETING WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
SO I'M GETTING INFORMATION THAT AN EMPLOYEE THAT'S DOING INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS, NOT HEARING THE SAME THING, RIGHT? SO I JUST BRING A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, RIGHT? AND SO AS LEADERS, WE HAVE TO STRATEGIZE AND WE ALL STRATEGIZE DIFFERENTLY.
I MEAN, WE CAN ALL THINK OF THE LEADERS WE LOVE TO WORK FOR, AND WE CAN THINK OF THOSE LEADERS WE HATED TO WORK FOR, RIGHT? AND SO, ALL, ALL I GOTTA SAY IS THAT AS YOU BECOME A LEADER, IF YOU'RE NOT IN A LEADER AT
BECAUSE WE ALL THINK, ALL HAVE AN OPINIONS.
AND MY STYLES, THOSE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE HERE KNOW I'M, I LIKE TO GET FEEDBACK BECAUSE I KNOW I DON'T THINK OF EVERY ANGLE.
AND SO, UM, ONCE AGAIN, I DON'T THINK WE THINK DIFFERENTLY.
IT'S JUST WE'RE IN DIFFERENT POSITIONS AND THEREFORE WE HAVE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
SO, UH, I'M GONNA START WITH ELAINE THIS TIME, AND THEN GO TO JORGE AND THEN END WITH DANIEL.
SO THIS IS KIND OF A NUTS AND BOLTS QUESTION.
THE, THE NEXT TWO ARE, I GUESS, UM, ELAINE, HOW DO YOU SET YOURSELF APART IN ORDER TO LAND A MANAGEMENT OR EXECUTIVE JOB? UH, HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR THESE TYPES OF INTERVIEWS? AND CAN YOU EXPAND ON LIKE HOW THEY MIGHT BE DIFFERENT THAN OTHER INTERVIEWS? YEAH, I, I THINK IT GOES BACK IF YOU JUST CONSIDER THE INTERVIEW PART OF IT, RIGHT? UM, FOR THE, FOR THE JOB THAT YOU'RE INTERVIEWING FOR AS, AS A, YOU KNOW, A DIRECTOR OR AN EXECUTIVE, YOU HAVE TO, UM, THE, THE PEOPLE SELECTING THE PEOPLE ON THAT PANEL ARE THE PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, THE HIRING MANAGER IS PROBABLY NOT LOOKING FOR THE, THE PERSON WHO IS THE, THE GREAT TECHNICIAN.
YOU CAN KNOW EVERY SINGLE THING ABOUT YOUR PROCESS AND HOW TO DO IT BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS.
BUT TO KIND OF, UM, GET TO DIFFERENT LEVELS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION, YOU ALSO HAVE TO THINK STRATEGICALLY.
UM, AND SO THAT TIES BACK TO WHAT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, LIKE HOW WHAT YOU DO IMPACTS OTHERS AND HOW WHAT OTHERS DO IMPACTS YOU AND HOW YOU COMMUNICATE THAT.
UM, WORKING THROUGH CHALLENGING SITUATIONS, UM, AGAIN, THE PEOPLE PART OF IT.
HAVING, HAVING, UM, YOU KNOW, SHOW, UH, BEING ABLE TO EXPRESS THE, THE CARE AND CONCERN YOU HAVE FOR EMPLOYEES AND, AND THE VALUE THAT THEY BRING TO THE ORGANIZATION AND HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT MENTORING.
UM, AND I ALSO THINK TOO, AS YOU GO HIGHER UP IN THE ORGANIZATION, YOU ACTUALLY KNOW LESS ABOUT PROBABLY WHERE THE GROUP YOU STARTED IN, RIGHT? AND THAT'S REALLY HARD FOR SOME PEOPLE BECAUSE THAT'S LIKE WHAT, YOU KNOW, AND WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU GO FURTHER AWAY FROM IT, YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO EXTEND A LOT OF TRUST TO THE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GIVING YOU THE RIGHT INFORMATION AND THAT EVERYTHING'S OPERATING SMOOTHLY.
[00:35:01]
A PRETTY, IT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S GOT A LOT OF COMPONENTS.UM, I ALSO THINK THAT, UM, APPROACHING INTERVIEWS, YOU KNOW, EARLY ON IN YOUR CAREER, IF YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE AROUND AND LEARN DIFFERENT THINGS AND DO DIFFERENT THINGS AND SHOW YOUR SUCCESS IN DIFFERENT AREAS, THAT HELPS MAKE YOU MORE COMPETITIVE, UM, IN INTERVIEWS, ESPECIALLY AS YOU, YOU GO UPWARDS IN AN ORGANIZATION.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE COMING AND YOU'RE NOT JUST SAYING, LOOK AT ME, I CAN DO THIS ONE BODY OF WORK.
YOU'RE LIKE, LOOK AT ME, I CAN COME AND I'VE DONE FIVE BODIES OF WORK.
UM, AND, AND THAT, THAT HELPS KIND OF COMPETITION FOR SOME OF THOSE HIGHER LEVEL ROLES, RIGHT, SIR? SO I THINK THAT WAS GREAT ADVICE AND I, I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE IT.
I'M JUST GONNA ADD A COUPLE NUANCES.
UH, SO SOME OF THE ADVICE I GOT GROWING UP, I MEAN, GROWING INTO LEADERSHIP ROLES, YOU GOTTA VISUALIZE YOURSELF IN THAT ROLE ALREADY, DEPENDING WHAT ROLE IT IS, DO YOUR HOMEWORK.
AND SO IF IT'S A MANAGER SUPERVISOR ROLE OR IF IT'S AN EXECUTIVE ROLE.
SO, UH, CURRENTLY WE'RE ALL CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEES.
ON THE SSPR WE HAVE COMPETENCIES, RIGHT? SO AS AN EMPLOYEE, THERE'S FIVE AS MANAGER, SUPERVISOR, THERE'S 10.
IF YOU'RE GOING INTO AN EXECUTIVE ROLE, THERE'S AN EXTRA FIVE.
SO GET TO KNOW WHAT'S EXPECTED OF YOU IN THAT ROLE AND START VISUALIZING YOURSELF.
LIKE WHEN I APPLIED FOR THE DIRECTOR ROLE, I LITERALLY READ EVERYTHING ON THE WEBSITE.
I CREATED A BINDER THAT WAS A STICK ON THE BUDGETS AND PROJECTS AND EVERYTHING, JUST CUZ I HAD BEEN IN WATERSHED BEFORE.
SO I HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, THAT INSIGHT.
CAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT QUESTIONS YOU'RE GONNA BE ASKED, RIGHT? SO BE PREPARED, RIGHT? UH, AND WHEN YOU GO INTO THE ACTUAL INTERVIEW, YOU HAVE TO CONVINCE THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN THE PANEL THAT YOU'RE IN THAT ROLE ALREADY.
SO YOU NOT ONLY VISUALIZE YOURSELF, YOU GOTTA CONVINCE OTHERS THAT YOU'RE IN THAT ROLE.
SO THAT'S A GOOD STRATEGY TO HAVE.
AND IT COMES WITH PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, RIGHT? SO FOR ALL MY TOASTMASTERS FOLKS IN THE ROOM, UH, IF YOU HEARD ME SPEAK BEFORE, IT'S ABOUT PRACTICE, RIGHT? AND I WAS GOING ON ABOUT ALLEN ING.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS PRACTICE.
SO GET IN FRONT OF A MIRROR, YOU KNOW, PRACTICE ANSWERING THE QUESTION, WHY ARE YOU APPLYING FOR THIS JOB? WHY ARE YOU GOING AFTER? SO THERE'S GONNA BE SOME QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA BE ON THE, ON THE, ON THE INTERVIEW.
BE SUCCINCT, ESPECIALLY AS YOU GET INTO EXECUTIVE ROLES.
PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO HEAR RAMBLING.
YOU KNOW, KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SAY.
SAY IT AND, AND, YOU KNOW, BE DONE.
YOU KNOW, LEAVE IT FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS AT THE END IF YOU WANT TO COVER OTHER AREAS.
UM, I WON'T ADD A TON TO THAT.
UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO BE WILLING TO TAKE ON PROJECTS.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL HAVE YOUR MANAGER LOOKING FOR A VOLUNTEER TO DO SOMETHING AND EVERYONE KIND OF
UM, IT, IT IS, IT'LL HELP BUILD YOUR REPUTATION, UM, WITHIN THE CITY.
UH, IT HELPS YOUR NETWORKING CUZ YOU MAY BE WORKING WITH PEOPLE YOU HADN'T WORKED WITH BEFORE.
UM, AND THAT STUFF DOES MATTER.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE SOMEONE THAT, THAT PEOPLE GET USED TO WORKING WITH AND, AND BEGIN TO TRUST AND FIND TO BE RELIABLE, THAT WILL FOLLOW YOU, UM, IN A POSITIVE WAY.
UM, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, AS WE TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS BEFORE, BEFORE THIS ALL STARTED, THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S INTERVIEW PROCESS IS INTERESTING,
UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE A TEAM BUILDING STORY.
HAVE, YOU KNOW, A STORY OF HOW YOU IMPROVED A SITUATION WITHOUT BEING INSTRUCTED TO DO SO.
UM, HAVE THOSE STORIES IN YOUR BACK POCKET, BUT HOW YOU DEVELOP THOSE STORIES IS TO STRETCH YOURSELF AND, AND SEEK OUT NEW OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, IT MAY BE A LOT, A LOT OF WORK IN THE SHORT TERM, UM, BUT OVER TIME IT WILL PAY OFF.
UM, I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, I, IT, THINGS DON'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT AND DON'T BE DISCOURAGED BY ONE SETBACK.
UM, THERE, THERE HAVE BEEN PLENTY OF POSITIONS I'VE APPLIED FOR AT THE CITY AND DIDN'T GET, UM, IT, YOU JUST HAVE TO KEEP TRYING CUZ EVENTUALLY THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WILL OPEN UP AND EVENTUALLY THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WON'T COME.
UM, YOU JUST GOTTA PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THEM AS BEST YOU CAN.
UH, HOW WE DOING ON TIME? ONE MORE QUESTION.
LET'S JUST DO NORMAL JORGE, AND THEN THAT WAY
UH, HOW HAVE YOU LEARNED TO PLAY THE POLITICS THAT
[00:40:01]
COMES WITH YOUR JOB AND WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.UH, SO AS THE MORE YOU GO UP UP THE CHAIN, THE MORE YOU GOTTA BE READING THE ROOM, RIGHT? READ THE TEA LEAVES, SEE WHAT'S COMING.
UM, POLITICS IS A BIG PART OF OUR JOB, YOU KNOW, FOR ALL OF US BY THE WAY.
NOT NOT JUST THE EXECUTIVES, RIGHT? AND SO IN EXECUTIVE ACADEMY BY THE OTHER, BY THE WAY, PART OF THE GROWTH IS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERYTHING THE CITY OFFERS.
YOU KNOW, LEAPS SUPERVISOR ACADEMY MANAGERS, EXECUTIVE ACADEMY, YOU'RE GROWING AND LEARNING PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY, RIGHT? UH, MEETING PEOPLE.
AND SO WE ACTUALLY HAD A BOOK CALLED POLITICALLY SAVVY WE HAD TO READ, SO THAT, THAT KIND OF LAID OUT THE DIFFERENT STYLES OF LEADERS AND YOU GET TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE AS WELL.
BUT FOR ME IT'S LISTENING AND OBSERVING.
I'M REALLY GOOD AT OBSERVING AND MAYBE NOT SO GOOD AT LISTENING, BUT, UH,
BUT, UH, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, THE POLITICS THAT AFFECT OUR WORK IS THE ELECTIONS.
THE COUNCIL MEMBER IS THE MAYOR.
THEY SAID POLICY, RIGHT? SO I WATCHED EVERY DEBATE AND WHEN I COULDN'T SEE IT, I, THEY'RE ALWAYS RECORDED.
I WOULD GO BACK AND WATCH 'EM, UH, BECAUSE I WANTED TO KNOW, UH, DEPENDING WHO GOT ELECTED, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY WERE THINKING, WHAT THEY'RE PERCEIVING.
SOMETIMES PERCEPTION IS REALITY AND WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THAT, RIGHT? AND SO THAT'S HOW I PREPARE FOR THAT.
AND NOW WITH THE TRANSITION, WE'RE GOING TO GET TO KNOW THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT ARE IN INTERIM ROADS, GET TO KNOW THEM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU WANNA UNDERSTAND HOW THEY OPERATE AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY BASED ON THEIR STYLE.
AND, AND I MEAN, WE, WE'RE IN A POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT, RIGHT? WE WORK FOR A CITY GOVERNMENT, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, POLITICS, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANNA CALL IT, EX EXIST ANYWHERE.
THEY JUST HAPPEN TO BE MORE FOREFRONT AT THE CITY BECAUSE THINGS CHANGE EVERY TIME.
NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS COME ON, NEW CITY MANAGEMENT, NEW DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN OVER TIME YOU CAN START DOWN ONE PATH AND THINK, OH, THIS IS THE WAY WE'RE GONNA GET THIS PROJECT DONE.
AND THEN TWO YEARS LATER, YOU'RE ON TOTALLY THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, OPPOSITE END OF THINGS.
SO YOU, YOU JUST HAVE TO BE FLEXIBLE AND, AND I, I LIKE, UM, WHAT JORGE SAID IS, UM, WATCH CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
IF YOU BELONG TO A, A CITY DEPARTMENT THAT HAS LIKE A BOARD IN COMMISSIONS, REALLY UNDERSTAND, UM, WHAT, WHAT TOPICS THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, WATCH THOSE MEETINGS.
UM, AND YOU'LL ALSO GAIN EVERYONE ELSE'S A A LITTLE BIT OF AWARENESS OF EVERYONE ELSE'S PERSPECTIVE, RIGHT? BECAUSE AGAIN, WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE IMPORTANT TO THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU AND AT DIFFERENT LEVELS AND IN DIFFERENT ARENAS.
YOU, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT, UM, FOLKS INTENT IS AND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM.
AND THEN I THINK WHEN YOU GET IN THOSE POLITICAL SITUATIONS, AND THAT HELPS YOU KIND OF EAS MORE EASILY MANEUVER AND MAYBE COME TO A COLLABORATIVE OUTCOME, UM, IF SOMETHING HAS TO BE DECIDED ON.
SO IT, IT CAN, POLITICS IS ALL DAY EVERY DAY.
AND I MEAN, IT CAN BE JUST BE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT.
IT, IT CAN BE CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL, IT CAN BE BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, THE CITY AND THE STATE.
UM, BUT LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.
LEARN ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE'S POINTS OF VIEW.
LEARN ABOUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO OTHER, OTHER, UM, PEOPLE AND YOUR STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, READ THE ROOM.
SO BOTH MY FELLOW PANELISTS STOLE WHAT I HAD ALREADY WRITTEN DOWN.
I SAID, LEARN TO READ THE ROOM
UM, SO I, I'LL KEEP THIS SHORT, BUT UH, ALONG THE LI SAME LINES OF WHAT THEY'VE SAID, HAVE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE WORKING ON A PROJECT, HAVE STRATEGIES AND HAVE KIND OF A PRE-PLAN FOR HOW YOU MIGHT REACT AND ADAPT TO A CHANGE IN DIRECTION.
UM, BECAUSE A CHANGE IN DIRECTION IS JUST AN ELECTION AWAY.
UM, AND SO YOU KIND OF ALWAYS HAVE TO BE THINKING ABOUT PLAN A, BUT THEN ALSO IF SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENS, I NEED A PLAN B AND POSSIBLY A PLAN C.
UM, AND SO YOU ALWAYS KINDA HAVE TO BE THINKING IN ADVANCE OF HOW WOULD I ADAPT IF, IF MY DIRECTION CHANGES A LITTLE BIT? AND SO IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S, IT'S THINKING FORWARD AND JUST PLANNING OUT SCENARIOS.
UM, AND I THINK I'LL JUST DO ONE MORE QUESTION AND THEN THANK OUR PANELISTS.
UM, WHAT, UH, STARTING WITH DANIEL AND THEN GOING BACK, UH, WHAT'S THE BIGGEST RISK YOU'VE TAKEN AT THE CITY AND DID IT PAN? UM, IN TERMS OF MY KIND OF CAREER ARC, UH, THE BIGGEST RISK I TOOK, UH, IS WHEN I MADE THE STEP UP FROM BEING A FRONTLINE CONTRIBUTOR TO MOVING INTO A SUPERVISORY ROLE.
UM, THERE WAS A JOB THAT OPENED UP, UM, THAT I HAD WORKED.
UM, AND SO I, I KNEW THE JOB WELL, UM, THE FIRST TIME THEY PO BUT THE, THE, THE GROUP WAS IN CRISIS AT THE TIME.
UM, THEY HAD HAD SIGNIFICANT STAFF TURNOVER.
UM, IT WAS IN A PERMITTING PROCESS.
[00:45:01]
SO THERE WAS A HUGE BACKLOG, UM, OF APPLICATIONS.IT WAS LIKE 12 WEEKS OR SOMETHING.
UM, AND, UH, THE FIRST TIME THEY POSTED IT, NOBODY APPLIED FOR IT, INCLUDING MYSELF, UM, CUZ IT SOUNDED HORRIBLE AND IT WAS SCARY.
UM, BUT THEN THEY POSTED IT AGAIN AND I, I SAID, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THIS IS A SIGN THAT THIS IS WHERE I'M SUPPOSED TO GO.
UM, I FELT LIKE I COULD HELP THE SITUATION, UM, LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I'D WORKED IN THAT GROUP BEFORE.
SO THE SECOND TIME THEY POSTED, I SAID, ALL RIGHT, I'M, I'M APPLYING.
UM, WENT THROUGH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, GOT SELECTED TO THE JOB, UM, AND THROUGH A LOT OF HARD WORK, NOT JUST FROM MYSELF, BUT FROM ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE I WORKED WITH IN THAT GROUP, WE EVENTUALLY EMERGED FROM THE CRISIS.
UM, AND, AND, AND LEARNED A LOT FROM IT TOO, IN TERMS OF HOW WE COULD IMPROVE OUR PROCESS TO TRY TO NOT GET BACK INTO THAT SAME SITUATION AGAIN.
UM, AND SO THE RISK WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, KIND OF PUTTING YOURSELF OUT THERE AND STEPPING INTO AN UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATION.
UM, KNOWING IT COULD FAIL, UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST PUT, PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE AND GO FOR IT.
UM, AND, AND IN MY SITUATION IT WORKED OUT.
UM, AND I, I GREW A LOT FROM THAT EXPERIENCE AND I, I THINK IT'S HELPED ME GET TO WHERE I AM NOW.
DID I MENTION I WAS SCARED, RIGHT? WITH MY NEW LIKE INTERIM ROLE, NOT AN ENGINEER.
I'M A TECHNICAL PERSON, I GUESS, BUT, UM, JUST PUT, PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE.
IF AN OPPORTUNITY IS AFFORDED TO YOU OR SOMEONE COMES TO YOU IN YOUR ORGANIZATION AND, AND YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO, A LE A LEADER COMES TO YOU AND SAYS, HEY, YOU KNOW, WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU CONSIDER DOING THIS EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA DO? TRY IT.
YOU KNOW, UM, TAKE THE CHANCE.
WORST CASE SCENARIO, IT DOESN'T WORK OUT.
YOU LEARN SOME LOT, YOU KNOW, YOU LEARN SOME THINGS, YOU NETWORK WITH SOME PEOPLE YOU CAN KIND OF GO BACK.
BUT, UM, TAKE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WHEN THEY COME UP AT THE CITY.
IT'S, IT'S A GREAT WAY TO JUST LEARN SO MUCH.
UM, AND AGAIN, I TH I THINK WE, WE TALKED THROUGH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE, SOME OF THESE SITUATIONS BEFORE, BUT IT HELPS YOU ALSO, UM, TAKING ON A NEW OPPORTUNITY.
YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT THINGS FROM A A WITH A FRESH SET OF EYES, IT'S A, IT CAN BE A CONFIDENCE BUILDER AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT QUOTE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DO ONE THING EVERY DAY THAT SCARES YOU OR SOMETHING.
IT CAN JUST BE SOMETHING AS, YOU KNOW, SIMPLE AS MAKING A PHONE CALL AS YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU DON'T WANNA MAKE.
IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, ONCE IT'S DONE, IT HELPS YOU GROW.
AND IF, IF YOU CAN KIND OF GET AWAY FROM THE SITUATION AND LOOK BACK AND LIKE, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY YOU TOOK ON A ROLE, YOU WERE SCARED ABOUT IT, YOU DID IT, MAYBE YOU FAILED, MAYBE YOU DID GREAT, WHATEVER.
BUT FIVE YEARS AFTER THAT ROLE, I BET YOU LOOK BACK AND YOU'RE LIKE, OKAY, I, I DID LEARN SOMETHING.
I DID, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A STRETCH ASSIGNMENT.
SO HIGHLY RECOMMEND 10 OUTTA 10.
SCARED EVERY DAY, BUT STILL, IT, IT'LL BE FINE.
AND I'M, FIRST OF ALL, I'M GLAD YOU STARTED ON THAT END CUZ IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO FIGURE OUT A GOOD EXAMPLE BECAUSE, UM, I TRY A LOT OF STUFF ALL THE TIME.
I LIKE TO INNOVATE AND TO INNOVATE.
YOU GOTTA BE WILLING TO FAIL, RIGHT? BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE PART OF A CULTURE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO BE SAFE TO FAIL, RIGHT? IT'S NOT ALWAYS BEEN SAFE DEPENDING WHERE I WAS AT.
AND SO MY LAST, MY EXAMPLES IS A VERY SPECIFIC, IT'S WHEN I WAS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN PUBLIC WORKS.
AND SO I WAS OVER THE PROJECT MANAGERS, INSPECTORS, ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF PROCESSES, RIGHT? AND SO, UH, I WAS TRYING TO DIGITIZE IT CUZ I WANTED TO INNOVATE, RIGHT? AND SO OUR PARTNERS AT DSD AT THE TIME YOU WERE STILL THERE, DANIEL, THEY HAD SPENT A LOT OF MONEY IN A LOT OF YEARS ON THIS PROJECTS, IT'S CALLED PROJECT, UH, WHAT WAS IT? PROJECT DOCS.
I'M LIKE, WELL, THEY'RE USING IT MUST BE GOOD, RIGHT? SO, YOU KNOW, WE ENDED UP SAYING WE'RE GONNA SPEND MONEY AND DO IT TOO, RIGHT? SO I'M NOT GONNA SAY HOW MUCH WE SPENT, BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF GRUMBLING IN THE ROOM.
MY PROJECT MANAGER WAS LIKE, WHAT ARE WE DOING? I WANTED WORKFLOW, I WANTED TO AUTOMATE.
CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A PROJECT MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
CAPRIS IS NOT THAT BY THE WAY.
UH, BUT THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BUYING ONE FINALLY.
UH, SO I WAS TRYING TO FIX THAT PROBLEM WITH PROJECT DOCS.
AND UH, ANYWAYS, I MOVED FORWARD, UM, AND THEN I LEFT, RIGHT BECAUSE I BECAME THE DIRECTOR AND, AND IT FELL APART BECAUSE OUR PARTNERS AT DSD WHO HAD BEEN MARRIED TO THIS SOFTWARE, GOT A DIVORCE FROM WITH THE SOFTWARE.
SO I'M LIKE, OKAY, WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO USE THE SOFTWARE ANYMORE.
SO, LONG STORY SHORT, I DID TRY IT.
I DID TRY TO INNOVATE AND THE PROJECT MANAGERS HAD BEEN ASKING FOR YEARS.
AND SO I TRIED SOMETHING BUT IT DIDN'T WORK.
LET'S PUT OUR HANDS TOGETHER FOR THESE PANELISTS AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S NEXT ON THE AGENDA.
[00:50:06]
OKAY.I WAS TOLD TO PUT A BOW ON IT.
SO, UH, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR COMING OUT.
UM, I HOPE THAT YOU LEARNED SOMETHING FROM THE PANELISTS.
I HOPE THAT YOU WALKED AROUND AND LOOKED AT SOME OF THE ART THAT OUR FELLOW EMPLOYEES, UM, MAKE.
AND, UH, YEAH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW WHERE THE TEAM'S CHANNEL IS AND LOOK OUT FOR OUR THAT'S COMING OUT.
AND UH, YEAH, LET'S GIVE A HAND TO ALL THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THAT HELP MAKE THIS POSSIBLE.