# Presentation: 546603

## The Crooked Career Path and10 Major Lessons I learned Along The WaySheryl J. BoutteDeputy Associate Director For Federal ServicesNNSA Service Center                                                                              June 2003

## How I Startedin the 1970’s

- Degree in English
- Management Intern at the Atomic Energy Commission
- Rotated through various divisions as a part  of  1 year intern training
- 1st permanent assignment:
- Management Assistant, Office of Management Services

## Lesson No. 1:   In an agency populated with technical types, when people find out you have a degree in English they will ask you to type things......

You must resist this at all costs

- You must resist this at all costs

## The next steps on the path provided some key life long lessons ( mid-late 1970’s)

Program Coordinator, Affirmative Action Programs
Very unpopular activity with the Labs
I was finding major issues
Lab director wanted me to stop my review

Lesson 2:  If you have personal integrity, and your work is solid, management will support you.

- Program Coordinator, Affirmative Action Programs
- Very unpopular activity with the Labs
- I was finding major issues
- Lab director wanted me to stop my review
- Lesson 2:  If you have personal integrity, and your work is solid, management will support you.

## Slide 5

## Slide 6

## Early 1980’s
Program Manager, Solar In Federal Buildings Program
50 million dollars; 750 projects
Funding being curtailed by congress
Needed criteria to determine which to finish & which to close 
The Program Manager did not want an English major running the program 
By the mid-way  point, HQ program manager threatened to pull work  from office if I did not continue 

- Program Manager, Solar In Federal Buildings Program
- 50 million dollars; 750 projects
- Funding being curtailed by congress
- Needed criteria to determine which to finish & which to close
- The Program Manager did not want an English major running the program
- By the mid-way  point, HQ program manager threatened to pull work  from office if I did not continue

## Lesson 3:    Know what you don’t know.  Utilize people who can fill in your “gaps” and give them credit.

Lesson 4:    Bring your “life experience” to your job.  Fit it in and use it where it does the most good.

Lesson 5:    Empower people to do what they do best.

- Lesson 4:    Bring your “life experience” to your job.  Fit it in and use it where it does the most good.
- Lesson 5:    Empower people to do what they do best.

## The mid 1980’s took me to :  
Branch Chief Human Resources 
Deputy Director Public Affairs
Executive Officer to the Manager 

Downgraded through RIF twice during this period 
It was clear my career needed a jumpstart
Lesson 6:   Even when your career seems to stagnate, take the opportunity to learn new skills

- Branch Chief Human Resources
- Deputy Director Public Affairs
- Executive Officer to the Manager
- Downgraded through RIF twice during this period
- It was clear my career needed a jumpstart
- Lesson 6:   Even when your career seems to stagnate, take the opportunity to learn new skills

## In the late 1980’s I took a voluntary downgrade to learn contracting :

Earned a coveted Contracting Officers Warrant
Was C.O. for Leland Stanford University  

Lesson 7:   The all too obvious; sometimes you have to go backward to move forward

- Earned a coveted Contracting Officers Warrant
- Was C.O. for Leland Stanford University
- Lesson 7:   The all too obvious; sometimes you have to go backward to move forward

## Late 1980’s to early 1990’s
Energy Research Division
Manager, Berkeley Site Office
ES&H/Tiger Team 
Institutional Management 
Technology Transfer 
Security 
Lab Appraisal process

Took advantage of everything there was to learn . 
Had major successes 
Lesson 8:  Accept the rewards your work can provide and use them to excel

- Energy Research Division
- Manager, Berkeley Site Office
- ES&H/Tiger Team
- Institutional Management
- Technology Transfer
- Security
- Lab Appraisal process
- Took advantage of everything there was to learn .
- Had major successes
- Lesson 8:  Accept the rewards your work can provide and use them to excel

## Leaving the 1990’s and entering the 2000’s
Acting Director, Financial Assistance Center 
Director Human Resources
Deputy Associate Director, Office of Federal Services

Lesson 9:   There is value in a variety of experiences.  Wisdom, clear vision, and informed decision-making are established over time

- Acting Director, Financial Assistance Center
- Director Human Resources
- Deputy Associate Director, Office of Federal Services
- Lesson 9:   There is value in a variety of experiences.  Wisdom, clear vision, and informed decision-making are established over time

## The
		  Fork
                      in
					the
						  Road

- 		  Fork
-                       in
- 					the
- 						  Road

## December 19, 2002 – Service Center Stand-up
Employees Located in Albuquerque, Nevada, Oakland, and Headquarters
August 2004 – Service Center Office Closures
Nevada and Oakland, Headquarters Component

- Employees Located in Albuquerque, Nevada, Oakland, and Headquarters
- August 2004 – Service Center Office Closures
- Nevada and Oakland, Headquarters Component

## Staffing Plan Establishes All Service Center Positions in Albuquerque
Service Center Employees in Nevada, Oakland and Headquarters Will Be Reassigned to Albuquerque
Positions Will Be Available For All Service Center Employees

- Service Center Employees in Nevada, Oakland and Headquarters Will Be Reassigned to Albuquerque
- Positions Will Be Available For All Service Center Employees

## September 2003 – Survey Service Center Employees in Nevada, Oakland and Headquarters
Determine Employees’ Interest in Relocating to Albuquerque
Management Planning Purposes Only
November 2003 – Service Center Employees in Nevada, Oakland, and Headquarters Will Be Directed in Writing to Report to Albuquerque by a Certain Date
All Employee Notices Will Be Issued at the Same Time
Employees Will Be Provided All Relevant Employment Information Concerning What Will Happen Should They Decline the Assignment
January 2004 – Employees Elect to Accept or Decline Reassignment
April – August 2004 – Reporting Dates Staggered by Function to Facilitate the Arrangement of Space and Office Moves

- Determine Employees’ Interest in Relocating to Albuquerque
- Management Planning Purposes Only
- November 2003 – Service Center Employees in Nevada, Oakland, and Headquarters Will Be Directed in Writing to Report to Albuquerque by a Certain Date
- All Employee Notices Will Be Issued at the Same Time
- Employees Will Be Provided All Relevant Employment Information Concerning What Will Happen Should They Decline the Assignment
- January 2004 – Employees Elect to Accept or Decline Reassignment
- April – August 2004 – Reporting Dates Staggered by Function to Facilitate the Arrangement of Space and Office Moves

## Accept Assignment
Reporting Date Finalized
Relocation Entitlements Provided
Decline Assignment
Notices of Proposed Removal, All to Be Effective August 2004 at the Same Time
Employees Will Be Provided Information on Career Transition Assistance Entitlements and Other Separation Benefits

- Reporting Date Finalized
- Relocation Entitlements Provided
- Decline Assignment
- Notices of Proposed Removal, All to Be Effective August 2004 at the Same Time
- Employees Will Be Provided Information on Career Transition Assistance Entitlements and Other Separation Benefits

## Lesson 10 :  There are still many roads to take and lessons to be learned.