Lance and I both work for the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA). OCTA is the primary transportation agency for Orange County, California. OCTA provides bus transit services, rail service, 91 Express Lanes toll facility, freeway improvements, street and road improvements, vanpool, rideshare options, freeway service patrol, taxi administration, and long-range transportation planning.
I have been at OCTA for more than half of my life. I started my career here at 18. I am on my 23rd year here. I will retire here. I have EXTRAORDINARY benefits. Lance has worked here for five years. He started as a consultant and had no intention of long-term employment. (Obviously that changed when he met me.)
So we work at OCTA, but what exactly do we do?
Lance is the Strategic Plan Officer. He provides leadership, direction, planning, administration, and oversight for the development, implementation, and maintenance of the OCTA Strategic Plan, the Board Chairman's Initiatives as well as the CEO Initiatives and Action Plan. He is responsible for strategic and business process improvements, performance metrics and reporting of metrics to all stakeholders. He analyzes dvision and department program performance, industry trends, existing, or new regulatory requirements and their impact on business operations.
He is a part of the Human Resources division and works in a separate one-story building. I am in the tower on the top floor in the Executive Office (12th floor).
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| This is where Lance spends his day. |
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| View of his Office |
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| He is important. He gets an office. I am a peon. I get a cubicle. |
Lance commuted from San Diego to OCTA daily (insanity!!!). It is a 90 min - 2 hour commute.
Lance started at OCTA in the procurement/contract departments as a consultant but he was recognized for his talents and assigned to create the first ever strategic plan for the OCTA. Because of this new assignment, he began to work closely with the CEO office; thus, he was introduced to me. Had the reassignment never occurred, we would have never really interfaced.
Below is a link of the actual Strategic Plan that Lance did. I am proud of him. I dont expect you to read the document, but it is his most significant work product at OCTA. He is currently updating it.
I am the Administrative Assistant to the CEO. Basically, I manage the CEO's calendar, draft letters/memos in support of him, arrange/prepare all travel, process expense reports, review/edit every document submitted to the CEO for signature. (This is where my English degree is heavily used.). I act as the agent of the CEO, communicating his directives etc. I serve as a liasion between the CEO and the OCTA Board, legislative officials, other agencies, and internal employees. I work in an extremely political environment , which requires me to be very politically astute. I interface regularly with influential Orange County elected officials as well state level elected officials.
My job is extremely fast-paced and intense. To be honest, if I were to leave this position, no one internally would apply for it. It is regarded as being way too stressful. This is going to appear incredibly arrogant, but it is a fact (not an opinion, but a fact) -- I am good, damn good at what I do. I have established a very solid reputation with public agencies in Southern California. I'm respected and well known by CEOs in the region. I have transitioned three permanent CEOs and a few interim CEOs . Each CEO has a different style, weaknesses, and strengths, but each one has expressed that I am the best assistant they ever had. I have been encouraged to seek professional growth/promotions by all of them, but I lack ambition. If I were ambitious, I could move anywhere, because I have the support of these influential leaders.
I have a very unique presence in the CEO office because I say the most insulting, inappropriate comments to ALL of the CEOs I have ever worked for....other employees often are shocked at what comes out of my mouth. It is always done in humor, but I have had some good put downs. I think one of the reasons why I have bonded so well with these executives is because no one talks to them the way I do, and to them, it is refreshing.
Lance often is shocked at what I say, and he is surprised at how I am able to get away with it....here is an example. Lance's boss (executive director) had his shirt monogramed with the initials PJG. I saw the man and casually asked, "Oh your shirt is monogrammed? What does the J stand for?" He replied, "Joseph." I then said, "Really? Are you sure it doesn't stand for JACKASS?"
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| This is me with two of the CEOs I have supported. They both are fighting over me. |
Lance and I both have one employee under us. Lance has a part time intern. He is a one-man show so if he were to resign, the OCTA would suffer because there is no back up to do his job. I have a lower level clerical position under me which I provide supervision too as well.
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| This is my cubicle...where I spend my day. |
So that's where we spend most of our days.....at the OCTA. I do love this place. I have grown up here, and OCTA has been very good to me.
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Loved this post! Now I can just assign folks this site when they ask what my dad does. Just kidding. It makes me proud, my dad's career. There are so many facets to him that have made him successful. And you, Im a little surprised you lack "ambition" to further your career, but at the same time I think I understand. You said once that your job was a means to support your other life, family life. And who can't respect that? And I would never ever say the things you say to anyone. Wanna rub that sass off on me a bit??
ReplyDeleteSo is your job like the movie, The Devil Wears Prada?
ReplyDeleteI've never had to work for someone like that Devil Wears Prada, but my last boss was probably the closest to it. He drove me nuts; I was at his beck and call all the time (even on vacation). He made me cry a few times, but I actually liked him. You met him at the Spartan race. He was a good man, but way too demanding.
ReplyDeleteI've said some worst things to them....told them they were old, ugly, fat....that i was disgusted by them...etc...it's pretty bad, but I never lost my job; they like the bantering...no one talks to them that way.
Your dad is a genius....It's funny. I have to edit/proof his board reports. I always do what i can to help his stuff through the approval process. It sometimes can be hard though when i am put between my boss and him....Its happened before and I did not like it.
I really enjoyed this post! Now I know what my day's job entails! I am always impressed at all the things he can do. He's one of a kind. And I would never talk to my bosses like that! That's why people love you, you tell it like it is. That is a long time to work at one place. Like a second home. They're going to miss you when you retire!
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