A definite advantage of working for TELUS was the opportunity to change careers without leaving the company and God knows, I've never been one to dismiss an advantage.
I began with a 7 year sales career in Broadcast Services, working for long time AGT Sales Manager, Clare Manulak. Clare introduced me to the nuances of the communications business, sales in general and customer service in particular. He showed me the possibilities of a future in business communications where I never dreamed one existed. Clare furnished me with a solid ethical foundation in business principles. He was a rare combination of leader, taskmaster, worry wart and salesman and he combined all that with a mischievous sense of fun. He was also a family man and due in part to my age at the time, my lessons with Clare had as much to do with life as they did business. I'm forever grateful and I'll never forget him.
My next stop was a training gig in intracompany services then on to Special Accounts Billing, or SABS (a.k.a. "The Job From Hell", a terrifying assignment deserving of its own post, which I'll write if I ever complete therapy).
After that nightmare I earned a position in Desktop Support, under Manager Charlie Stone. My Area Supervisor was an outgoing, affable Englishman, Steve Roebuck. In a very short time Steve taught me how to analyze a situation prior to starting the task, a skill I'd re-use through the remainder of my career. He was a leader with a heart, a quirky sense of humor we happened to share but above all, Steve was a "company man" in the best sense of the term. He was proud to work for TELUS and he had little time or patience for peers who didn't. I couldn't have agreed more.
In time I moved on to Internal Operations, a vaguely titled but heavily responsible area with another dynamo mentor/boss, Gary Lakusta. Like many of my peers, I mistakingly interpreted his impeccable grooming, fine suits and outgoing manner as arrogance. At times Gary appeared "too good to be real," "a hustler", "all flash, no substance" and so on. Still, before I went to work for Gary we had occasion to interact directly. I was surprised to find him open and attentive, a breath of fresh air in an often stodgy environment.
As it turned out, Gary's alleged "arrogance" was in fact, confidence. In our 3 years together I developed something of a swagger myself, though like Gary, I had to be certain I could deliver before I brought it out.
I would have continued with Gary for a longer period but there were budget cuts and his area was downsized. Unfazed, he left for much greener pastures outside of TELUS within a year or two. Unfortunately, this marked an end to my string of personally rewarding jobs and it would be years before I rediscovered career happiness.
TELUS and Ed Tel merged. Generally, the grass root workers of both companies noticed a degree of disruption but due in part to common unions, the differences were slight. Middle Management was another scenario. We TELUS management employees were informed early on, the management teams from the "little phone company that could" were going to lead our newly combined enterprise to the promised land. TELUS managers had just better step up to that, or step off, that simple.
From what I came to know, the "little phone company that could" actually couldn't, not as a profit centre anyway. Their vehicles, administration, billing and engineering costs were funneled through the City of Edmonton budget. Their minimal hardware and toll profits didn't pay for anything. I paid, as did all Edmontonians, through a magical little fund known as "the mill rate". Within weeks, the inmates of the little phone company that could were running my asylum.
Al Toft, my first boss under the new regime, had originally been with AGT. When AGT became TELUS, he switched to Ed Tel. After leaving Ed Tel for a better paying gig with a supplier in Seattle, he asked for, and received, his old ED TEL job back, only now it was with a newly merged TELUS.
His reasoning for all this flitting about was a complex family issue. His wife and two boys had little enthusiasm for living anywhere but in their original home in St. Albert and unfortunately, Al was paying the price.
I'm getting a little ahead of myself. I knew nothing of the aforementioned until after Al tried to fire me, so picture this. I'm assigned to the world's unhappiest man, a circumstance of which I'm unaware. Talk about the uncertainties life can throw at you!
At our very first meeting, Mr. Toft advised me that despite my 3 consecutive "surpasses expectations" ratings and their accompanying bonuses, I did not have the formal education required to effectively do my job and as a result, for the first time since I'd been hired 18 years prior, I was on probation. With that, he assigned me a rudimentary task to be properly completed and on his desk by 8 the next morning (it was now 5 p.m.), and he added, "Your job depends on it."
I turned in my task on time the next morning. He scanned it, said it was "okay" and immediately presented me with another task. Again, I was advised, "Your job depends on it."
He tried this routine one more time before I'd had enough. I turned, quietly closed the door and in a tone just above a whisper advised, "Al, go f**k yourself." He came out from behind his desk and exclaimed, "This is was a test, and you failed miserably. You're finished. Pack your desk and leave....NOW!"
I said, "I know our Director (Chuck Kiel) is also ex Ed Tel but, unlike you, he's no idiot. Let's go see him." Al all but ran to the Director's office, leaving me in his wake. As I arrived seconds later I heard Al say, "Hamilton refused a direct order, then he cursed...at ME! I demand his instant dismissal!"
Chuck didn't get up at first. He glanced at me, took in the wonder that was Al Toft, and finally spoke. "Brian, you're fine, it's all good. Please excuse us for a moment."
I all but ran out the door but I quickly found a safe spot to eavesdrop on Chuck's little talk with Al. "HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND? YOU'RE FIRING A GUY YOUR SECOND DAY HERE? And whaddya mean he disobeyed a direct order? Who do you think you are? COLONEL F*CKING KLINK?!?"
I began with a 7 year sales career in Broadcast Services, working for long time AGT Sales Manager, Clare Manulak. Clare introduced me to the nuances of the communications business, sales in general and customer service in particular. He showed me the possibilities of a future in business communications where I never dreamed one existed. Clare furnished me with a solid ethical foundation in business principles. He was a rare combination of leader, taskmaster, worry wart and salesman and he combined all that with a mischievous sense of fun. He was also a family man and due in part to my age at the time, my lessons with Clare had as much to do with life as they did business. I'm forever grateful and I'll never forget him.
My next stop was a training gig in intracompany services then on to Special Accounts Billing, or SABS (a.k.a. "The Job From Hell", a terrifying assignment deserving of its own post, which I'll write if I ever complete therapy).
After that nightmare I earned a position in Desktop Support, under Manager Charlie Stone. My Area Supervisor was an outgoing, affable Englishman, Steve Roebuck. In a very short time Steve taught me how to analyze a situation prior to starting the task, a skill I'd re-use through the remainder of my career. He was a leader with a heart, a quirky sense of humor we happened to share but above all, Steve was a "company man" in the best sense of the term. He was proud to work for TELUS and he had little time or patience for peers who didn't. I couldn't have agreed more.
In time I moved on to Internal Operations, a vaguely titled but heavily responsible area with another dynamo mentor/boss, Gary Lakusta. Like many of my peers, I mistakingly interpreted his impeccable grooming, fine suits and outgoing manner as arrogance. At times Gary appeared "too good to be real," "a hustler", "all flash, no substance" and so on. Still, before I went to work for Gary we had occasion to interact directly. I was surprised to find him open and attentive, a breath of fresh air in an often stodgy environment.
As it turned out, Gary's alleged "arrogance" was in fact, confidence. In our 3 years together I developed something of a swagger myself, though like Gary, I had to be certain I could deliver before I brought it out.
I would have continued with Gary for a longer period but there were budget cuts and his area was downsized. Unfazed, he left for much greener pastures outside of TELUS within a year or two. Unfortunately, this marked an end to my string of personally rewarding jobs and it would be years before I rediscovered career happiness.
TELUS and Ed Tel merged. Generally, the grass root workers of both companies noticed a degree of disruption but due in part to common unions, the differences were slight. Middle Management was another scenario. We TELUS management employees were informed early on, the management teams from the "little phone company that could" were going to lead our newly combined enterprise to the promised land. TELUS managers had just better step up to that, or step off, that simple.
From what I came to know, the "little phone company that could" actually couldn't, not as a profit centre anyway. Their vehicles, administration, billing and engineering costs were funneled through the City of Edmonton budget. Their minimal hardware and toll profits didn't pay for anything. I paid, as did all Edmontonians, through a magical little fund known as "the mill rate". Within weeks, the inmates of the little phone company that could were running my asylum.
Al Toft, my first boss under the new regime, had originally been with AGT. When AGT became TELUS, he switched to Ed Tel. After leaving Ed Tel for a better paying gig with a supplier in Seattle, he asked for, and received, his old ED TEL job back, only now it was with a newly merged TELUS.
His reasoning for all this flitting about was a complex family issue. His wife and two boys had little enthusiasm for living anywhere but in their original home in St. Albert and unfortunately, Al was paying the price.
I'm getting a little ahead of myself. I knew nothing of the aforementioned until after Al tried to fire me, so picture this. I'm assigned to the world's unhappiest man, a circumstance of which I'm unaware. Talk about the uncertainties life can throw at you!
At our very first meeting, Mr. Toft advised me that despite my 3 consecutive "surpasses expectations" ratings and their accompanying bonuses, I did not have the formal education required to effectively do my job and as a result, for the first time since I'd been hired 18 years prior, I was on probation. With that, he assigned me a rudimentary task to be properly completed and on his desk by 8 the next morning (it was now 5 p.m.), and he added, "Your job depends on it."
I turned in my task on time the next morning. He scanned it, said it was "okay" and immediately presented me with another task. Again, I was advised, "Your job depends on it."
He tried this routine one more time before I'd had enough. I turned, quietly closed the door and in a tone just above a whisper advised, "Al, go f**k yourself." He came out from behind his desk and exclaimed, "This is was a test, and you failed miserably. You're finished. Pack your desk and leave....NOW!"
I said, "I know our Director (Chuck Kiel) is also ex Ed Tel but, unlike you, he's no idiot. Let's go see him." Al all but ran to the Director's office, leaving me in his wake. As I arrived seconds later I heard Al say, "Hamilton refused a direct order, then he cursed...at ME! I demand his instant dismissal!"
Chuck didn't get up at first. He glanced at me, took in the wonder that was Al Toft, and finally spoke. "Brian, you're fine, it's all good. Please excuse us for a moment."
I all but ran out the door but I quickly found a safe spot to eavesdrop on Chuck's little talk with Al. "HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND? YOU'RE FIRING A GUY YOUR SECOND DAY HERE? And whaddya mean he disobeyed a direct order? Who do you think you are? COLONEL F*CKING KLINK?!?"
Mr. Toft went on a 4 week stress leave and it was a few months before I encountered him again. By then I'd landed a Change Management job working for Tim Lau. I was conducting classes to all TELUS IT employees, rolling out and explaining the new company wide Change Management System. Al attended one of the sessions and it was clear the man was in serious distress. At the sessions end after everyone had left, we had a post class exchange where he described his ongoing professional and personal problems at length. I listened attentively, then I suggested he go fuck himself; not my finest moment.
The next time I heard from Al was roughly 5 years ago, via e-mail. He asked if I'd give him a business recommendation. This time I just said no.
I'd been with TELUS for 17 years before taking the Change Management job, working alongside Ian Luty in Edmonton, and Mary Lyall and Deb Buxton in Calgary.
Going in, Deb and Mary were known in TELUS IT circles as personable professionals with an impeccable work ethic and no fear of effort, albeit informed effort. At times Deb could play the hard-ass "bad cop" to Mary's angelic "good cop" but their roles weren't that closely defined. They were always prepared at the onset, any opposition had already been anticipated, discussed and rectified by the time the meeting was called. This rendered nearly every objection moot. Their experiences in founding and managing the TELUS Help Desk, also known as SPOC, in Calgary gave them a profound advantage in mapping changes to the TELUS corporate environment.
Ian and I both had a degree of overall IT knowledge and I brought effective oral or written communications skills to the table. Within a very short time, we melded to form an efficient team. Not unexpectedly, Ian, Deb, Mary and I also became the best of friends in the process.
Originally Tim Lau was TELUS Change Management, pretty much all by himself. Something of a visionary, Tim researched formal Change Management processes in other corporate environments and eventually designed and implemented a custom built system for TELUS; a major, bordering on miraculous, accomplishment.
When TELUS merged with BC Tel, our team was surprised to learn that they too had a formal Change Management system. Tim's developmental counterpart for BC Tel was an absolute firecracker, Ms. Leslie Hansen. The two had never met and while they built their respective systems in mutual anonymity, it was astonishing how similar their end products were. They'd even arrived at the same software solution, "Remedy". As a direct result of Tim and Leslie's efforts, our transition and eventual merger was about as seamless as it could be.
When Tim moved on, Leslie took charge of TELUS Change Management proper. Her "go-get-'em" attitude and extensive IT knowledge base made her a perfect fit. As luck would have it, the team she had in place in Vancouver fit in very nicely with ours. However, we did notice a few systemic differences. The BC team saw their role as more observant than proactive. While we organized and oversaw nearly every aspect of a given system change, BC was more likely to report solely on change results. They'd participate in the planning only if requested by a project team and unlike the Alberta team, they were rarely involved in the actual implementation.
It took a degree of time and effort but little by little, we managed to show our BC counterparts the value of personally leading at least the major system changes from planning through to implementation. In turn they drew our attention to the dangers of micro managing and we adjusted our procedures accordingly. Leslie had always wanted it done that way, so it really wasn't exactly a tough sell.
Information Technology is seldom a static environment career-wise and in time, Leslie too moved on. Her replacement was another top-notch, superbly capable ex BC Tel Manager, Brenda Neill. Well versed in the myriad aspects of Information Technology, Brenda brought a somewhat calmer though no less effective presence to the table and my career continued to flourish.
As life would have it, IT Change Manager would be my final position with TELUS before retirement. It was an exciting, labor intensive and professionally fulfilling time. The area would come to define me as an employee and a person. This transformation was due in no small part to the friendship and camaraderie I shared with Deb and Mary. These two eventually became my best friends within TELUS certainly, and to a large degree outside the Company as well.
Progress was made at a steady pace and soon the simple, non-comprehensive work was rolling out smoothly. Within months of our coalition, we began receiving higher level projects, system changes where any service interruptions or failures could conceivably impact TELUS nation-wide or in one case, Canada's national security.
Over the next few years our professional bonds flourished until eventually we seemed to know what one of our peers wanted or needed, often before they did. The personal payoff; our professional arrangement eventually evolved into personal friendships.
As I neared the appropriate age and compiled the required number of service years, I was offered a very generous retirement package. The timing wasn't perfect but it wasn't bad, so my family and I took it. My sole regret was not being able to tell Mary and Debbie in person. I had them on a conference call within moments of finding out, but the experience was a little hollow compared to being with them.
We stay in touch regularly though neither Mary nor Deb are currently employed with TELUS. After a brief respite, both are flourishing in the Information Technology world with other companies.
I worked with Golf Town for a time, but now I'm retired for real.
People such as Clare, Steve, Tim, Ian, Leslie, Brenda, Deb, Mary and many more will always hold a dear spot in my heart and I know with certainty, I'm a better person for having had them in my life.
The next time I heard from Al was roughly 5 years ago, via e-mail. He asked if I'd give him a business recommendation. This time I just said no.
I'd been with TELUS for 17 years before taking the Change Management job, working alongside Ian Luty in Edmonton, and Mary Lyall and Deb Buxton in Calgary.
Going in, Deb and Mary were known in TELUS IT circles as personable professionals with an impeccable work ethic and no fear of effort, albeit informed effort. At times Deb could play the hard-ass "bad cop" to Mary's angelic "good cop" but their roles weren't that closely defined. They were always prepared at the onset, any opposition had already been anticipated, discussed and rectified by the time the meeting was called. This rendered nearly every objection moot. Their experiences in founding and managing the TELUS Help Desk, also known as SPOC, in Calgary gave them a profound advantage in mapping changes to the TELUS corporate environment.
Ian and I both had a degree of overall IT knowledge and I brought effective oral or written communications skills to the table. Within a very short time, we melded to form an efficient team. Not unexpectedly, Ian, Deb, Mary and I also became the best of friends in the process.
Originally Tim Lau was TELUS Change Management, pretty much all by himself. Something of a visionary, Tim researched formal Change Management processes in other corporate environments and eventually designed and implemented a custom built system for TELUS; a major, bordering on miraculous, accomplishment.
When TELUS merged with BC Tel, our team was surprised to learn that they too had a formal Change Management system. Tim's developmental counterpart for BC Tel was an absolute firecracker, Ms. Leslie Hansen. The two had never met and while they built their respective systems in mutual anonymity, it was astonishing how similar their end products were. They'd even arrived at the same software solution, "Remedy". As a direct result of Tim and Leslie's efforts, our transition and eventual merger was about as seamless as it could be.
When Tim moved on, Leslie took charge of TELUS Change Management proper. Her "go-get-'em" attitude and extensive IT knowledge base made her a perfect fit. As luck would have it, the team she had in place in Vancouver fit in very nicely with ours. However, we did notice a few systemic differences. The BC team saw their role as more observant than proactive. While we organized and oversaw nearly every aspect of a given system change, BC was more likely to report solely on change results. They'd participate in the planning only if requested by a project team and unlike the Alberta team, they were rarely involved in the actual implementation.
It took a degree of time and effort but little by little, we managed to show our BC counterparts the value of personally leading at least the major system changes from planning through to implementation. In turn they drew our attention to the dangers of micro managing and we adjusted our procedures accordingly. Leslie had always wanted it done that way, so it really wasn't exactly a tough sell.
Information Technology is seldom a static environment career-wise and in time, Leslie too moved on. Her replacement was another top-notch, superbly capable ex BC Tel Manager, Brenda Neill. Well versed in the myriad aspects of Information Technology, Brenda brought a somewhat calmer though no less effective presence to the table and my career continued to flourish.
As life would have it, IT Change Manager would be my final position with TELUS before retirement. It was an exciting, labor intensive and professionally fulfilling time. The area would come to define me as an employee and a person. This transformation was due in no small part to the friendship and camaraderie I shared with Deb and Mary. These two eventually became my best friends within TELUS certainly, and to a large degree outside the Company as well.
Progress was made at a steady pace and soon the simple, non-comprehensive work was rolling out smoothly. Within months of our coalition, we began receiving higher level projects, system changes where any service interruptions or failures could conceivably impact TELUS nation-wide or in one case, Canada's national security.
Over the next few years our professional bonds flourished until eventually we seemed to know what one of our peers wanted or needed, often before they did. The personal payoff; our professional arrangement eventually evolved into personal friendships.
As I neared the appropriate age and compiled the required number of service years, I was offered a very generous retirement package. The timing wasn't perfect but it wasn't bad, so my family and I took it. My sole regret was not being able to tell Mary and Debbie in person. I had them on a conference call within moments of finding out, but the experience was a little hollow compared to being with them.
We stay in touch regularly though neither Mary nor Deb are currently employed with TELUS. After a brief respite, both are flourishing in the Information Technology world with other companies.
I worked with Golf Town for a time, but now I'm retired for real.
People such as Clare, Steve, Tim, Ian, Leslie, Brenda, Deb, Mary and many more will always hold a dear spot in my heart and I know with certainty, I'm a better person for having had them in my life.
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