OSS NEWSLETTER - Employee Contribution - ‘A Day in the Life’ Questionnaire
1. Tell us about your duties as a ____ and what satisfies you in your position.
Quick background on the Tools and Templates Unit (T&T – yes – just like the AC/DC song – but we’re way cooler than AC/DC). The T&T Unit of SCMD is largely responsible for process improvement and technology integration as it applies to the various enterprise-based procurements Supply Chain undertakes.
Duties. I’m currently the acting manager of the T&T Unit (4 weeks now). I generally provide the link between our Executive and staff. Most of my duties revolve around the prioritization of project deliverables and ensuring strategic linkages are considered to common strategies in other parts of the organization, as well as our client’s needs.
2. What inspires you to achieve service excellence?
This may sound a little dorky… but that’s me. My inspiration comes from my parents (FYI – greatest people on the face of the Earth). As tax payers I like to believe the process and technological changes I often get to make, as well as the innovative solutions my colleagues and I introduce are not only making our work-lives better, but that they are easing the taxes my parents pay. I like to believe these changes translate into savings for them. Everybody wants to save a dollar. You, me, everyone. My parents are my inspiration.
3. Are there any quotes that motivate you?
My old football coach. Coach Papovich. “Son, you can’t get hurt standing on the sideline… so get a helmet and get in the game.” Ha! Its always stuck with me as a motivator. Not sure why. Coach was a cruel man. But I still can’t get it out of my head. Its true in more ways than one. Liken it to life… You have to take risks in order to reap the rewards. Apply that to work… and who knows...
4. What makes you proud to work for Ontario Shared Services?
The people. I honestly think I get to work with some of the best people on the face of the Earth. When you have the right people, it makes it easy to want to come to work and dive into those often difficult and challenging projects.
5. How many positions have you worked within the OPS? When did you start?
Positions or roles? I believe I’ve kept at least one business card from each of my roles and I’m pretty sure there are about 9 or 10 of them to be honest. ESD Intern -> Data Information Analyst -> Communication Specialist -> Business Analyst -> Procurement Analyst -> Strategic Sourcing Analyst -> Project Manager -> Manager Business Intelligence -> Acting Manager Tools & Templates. Nice trend though.
I started as an AGA 14 in CBS as an Electronic Service Delivery Intern. I think they hired me to fill their “Northern Ontario” quota, even though I believe I crushed the interview. From there it was smooth sailing as a contract employee for about the next 5 years. In that time I worked for the Shared Services Bureau, iServ, and eventually came back to the organization in 2006 thanks to an opportunity a friend brought forward. Wow - I think I owe him a beer.
6. Do you have any advice/tips for staff wanting to work within your division?
Step-up. See “quote” above. Just don’t sit idly by and let opportunity pass. Take calculated risks that will result in positives for yourself and the people around you. Alternatively – be awesome at guessing the correct numbers for Lotto Max. Either one’s a winning combo.
7. Are you involved with any charity campaigns/volunteer projects or events?
Not so much. Of course there’s the OPS’ Federated Health as a canvasser. As well as contributing to the United Way. I was involved for a time in the Lewis Wheelan trust. Helped set up a website and did numerous fund raisers to promote his cause. Went to University with his sister. Google him. Absolutely brutal what happened to Lewis. Sad and horrible.
8. Are there any extra-curricular activities that you like to participate in?
I love music. New and old. Whether it’s the stuff you hear in the pop charts or more interestingly, the indie artists our there creating a new sound. My current electronic library is somewhere in the realm of 90 to 100 GB of music. That’s like 32,000 songs. If I were to press play on my iTunes, I think it said it would take 2.3 years before a song was repeated.
Now I know people have more music. But I don’t own albums. Hate albums. Their concept has been dead and over for decades. I like the hits and can do without the filler. I live in a single serving world (see Fight Club scene with Brad Pitt and Edward Norton on the plane). Turn up the good and turn down the suck. And yes (with a wink) I’ve paid for it all.
9. Has your anticipated career path altered throughout your time in the OPS with the new skills you have developed along the way?
Absolutely. I came into government having left a pretty sweet consulting job where I was a code-head (java scripting). I HATED IT. Hate coding. So when I came into gov I was all piss and vinegar, “let’s use technology to change the world”. But I didn’t realize the impact technology has on people, both young and old. Technology changes the way we do work, sometimes positively and other times it can be detrimental to staff and their ability to perform their job. Soft skills. People skills. I think the more I’ve developed those, the more progress I’ve made in my career. Twenty-something year old Rob would likely get punched by thirty-five year old Rob for not being more considerate of the people element. I just talked in the third person. This questionnaire should be over.
10. Do you have any funny stories to share from day to day activity in your office?
Tie Thursday. Pass it along. Kudos to the younger guys in the office for making this one happen. It’s a trend I can get behind without going all Don Draper in the office. It’s funny, but at the same time cool.
Go for Thai while wearing a tie. It kind of became a habitual ritual after that. It’s probably not that funny. Unless of course you’re the new guy on the floor and no one’s told you about Tie Thursday. I have a special tie I found in my wife’s parents basement that was used to tie together an ancient sleeping bag. It won an Ugly Tie Contest. Ya, it’s that bad. Imagine the biggest and fattest tie you can, now think of seven colours that don’t go together and add in random shapes, like concentric circles, zigzags and stars. It’s awesome.
11. Would you like to share some of your new experiences of being a dad? Would you like to promote your blog (www.misterhaworth.blogspot.com )?
Being a dad is awesome. My son Devin is the best thing to happen in my life, right along with meeting my wife Asha. Thankfully, he’s got his mother’s good looks, so the kid is going to be a heartbreaker as he gets older.
I recently returned from a Paternity Leave of 5 months. It was the hardest job I ever had to do in my life. And at one point I use to lay down sod as a summer job. I though that was tough. Ha! Between being the sole daytime care giver, cook, cleaner and entertainer; I now fully respect and understand what all of the mommies of the world have had to go through. I was only on it for 5 months. Between the stress and sleep deprivation I managed to lose 26 lbs. Not purposely.
Being a dad rocks. Going home to see the smile on my son’s face truly makes my day… everyday.
