HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR JOB TO A 7 YEAR OLD CHILD?
I’ve been saying for a while now that I think we strategists could learn a lot about workshop design and facilitation from school teachers. So to keep this in a realm very familiar to a 7 year old and build on the work/school comparison I would explain that I spend a lot of time doing the following: Making sense of what the grown-ups are saying; encouraging people to talk and play nicely with each other; and attempting to be like the cool school teacher whose homework you always look forward because it’s fun and interesting and lets you do something a bit different.
WHAT THREE SKILLS SHOULD EVERY GOOD PLANNER POSSESS?
These are more like characteristics than skills, but in my experience strategists usually have the following in common:
An uncanny ability to find something fascinating about even the most seemingly boring of topics
Appreciation for the golden ratio - Two ears: one mouth
Great taste in spectacles
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR CAREER HIGHLIGHT SO FAR?
OBVIOUSLY winning the Grand Prix for the first ever APG Young Planners Award last year.
AND WHAT MAKES YOU CRINGE WHENEVER YOU THINK ABOUT IT?
Doing icebreaker activities in workshops. Perhaps even worse, being the person who has to make other people do them…
IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
I wish we could bring dogs to work
WHICH BOOKS ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU AND WHY?
The Structure of Scientific Revolution by Thomas Kuhn. Possibly one of the only books that has transcended my studies at university (looking back at the history of science and ideas) and my career today (looking forwards to the future of technology and innovation). Ever-relevant and thought-provoking.
Gamestorming. Workshop BIBLE.
Nonsense Botany and Nonsense Alphabets by Edward Lear. Absolutely stellar buffoonery.
Check out more from our Planners Unmasked series