Two things every planner should learn in your first few years on the job

Many years ago, I organized a session at Ryerson’s School of Urban and Regional Planning on “How to land your first planning job”. Approximately 50 students attended the late Friday session, where I gave tips and strategies that I had used to find meaningful planning jobs that aligned with my interests, along with emphasizing the importance of building a robust network of connections. Admittedly, this was the same presentation I provided every year for my former University of Calgary Urban Studies class. For the session at Ryerson, I thought it would be a more memorable event if I shared personal stories of key lessons I had learned in my first five years in my career. I shared stories of great things I witnessed and also stories of projects that went sideways when I messed up by being a poor team player on a project. These stories resonated with the audience because I think they were surprised a professional was openly talking about situations of great joy, tempered with admitting at times to being completely wrong and unprofessional in some work situations. I will now share two my most important lessons from the first five years of my career with you.

Always celebrate the successes of your colleagues

Among the great things in our profession are that each one of us brings a dynamic enthusiasm into our role as planners, and we care deeply about the communities we serve. One very talented colleague of mine at the City of Calgary was working on a redevelopment study for an inner city community. During this study she noticed that many of the little things that assist in making everyday life function had been neglected or just missing in this local neighbourhood. This ranged from missing sidewalk connections from a medium density residential housing complex to a nearby transit stop, to streetlights not being replaced. Instead of just noting the existing conditions, she took the proactive step of putting her energy into making incremental improvements in the community to improve the quality of life of its residents.

Her idea evolved into a creation of a neighbourhood grant program administered by the City, where the City would partner with local community groups to provide funding for local improvements. This idea was very well received by City Council where it received unanimous approval include specific praise from the Mayor, but unfortunately no one on her team seemed excited about this grant program. When she returned to her desk from the Council meeting, she was in tears. I happened to be in City Hall that day and walked by her desk. I came over to say “Hi”, and then learned about what just happened. I assured her that what she created took leadership, was proactive, and was a fantastic thing to do to improve communities across the city. I told her that I was proud of her, and I still truly am. I knew the fact that I cared meant a lot to her.

Never minimize the importance of the work of others

Fresh out of planning school in 2009, the first project I was assigned was to work in a small regional community just outside of Calgary to plan and launch a new regional transit service. One of the components of this project was to place, build, and modify bus bays located throughout the community. There was one particular bus bay that required an extension to accommodate the length of an articulated bus. This would require paving a portion of boulevard that had two recently planted trees on it. I thought, simple, just move the two trees and pave the extension of the bus pad.

I went to their municipal hall and inquired who I need to speak with to move the trees. I was rather casual and cavalier in the discussion I had about these trees with a planning department supervisor. Unfortunately for me, my feelings about how easy it would be to move the trees was found somewhat offensive by the Parks Planner who unknowingly was standing right behind me during my casual discussion with the planning department supervisor. The Parks Planner’s job was to protect trees, given the priority of the municipality to increase its tree canopy. Our discussion on how to approach the site eroded into a zero-sum game where both sides thought it would be their way or the highway. Basically, either the trees stayed or the bus bay couldn’t get extended, resulting in no transit service for the nearby employment area, or vice versa.

Unfortunately this impasse elevated quickly to the Manager of Planning who also happened to be the Manager of Parks for this municipality. It was looking like I wasn’t going to win this one. I had to sit through a very uncomfortable meeting with the Manager, the Parks Planner, and a number of the Parks staff for an hour getting lectured on the Parks Bylaw, the importance of the tree canopy and my poor attitude towards the entire issue. Ultimately a compromise was made and I ended up paying for the relocation costs of the trees, and the bus bay got extended. Unfortunately my relationship with the Parks Planner began badly and I felt there was some tension between the two of us. Months later after a lot of self-reflection on how my professional relationship with the local Parks Planner had a terrible start, I thought the most appropriate and right thing to do was apologize. I felt that an apology was warranted as I had minimized the importance of her work and contributions in the community, and I felt terrible about that - it wasn’t right.

One afternoon I sat down with the Parks Planner where I apologized for my initial interactions with her, and more importantly how my actions and attitude minimized the value of her work. She was taken by surprise as it was many months after our initial discussions and she was very appreciative of my apology, especially with my statements on how I should have never minimized her work. She hugged me and I felt a sense of relief that our relationship was turning around into a positive one versus the initial relationship that eroded from our first conversation.

I always joke in the office (when we were all working in person) that I have at least “30 years left to go”, so I look forward to many more meaningful and thoughtful learning lessons I will receive from my colleagues for years to come.