It seems that the reaction to my recipe wheeze has gone to my head. I’m going to try to be useful again. But it won’t be for many.
Let me explain.
While I dearly love the fact I’m part of global subculture thing, like the name says, I am a Northern Planner. I plan Up North. Hopefully, people will have an idea of what it’s like doing what I do, where I do it. There must be a bit of osmosis through visiting here from time to time – and in the vainglorious hope that it may be a little bit diverting, I’ll get around to being a bit more specific about life out here.
For now, I’ll start with the obvious. Planners out here are rare. I’ll meekly venture that planning in these boroughs is different too – more of a mindset than anything else. That’s a whole post,and then some, so I’ll leave it there for now. But however you cut it, getting a planning job outside of London ain’t easy.
Unless you’re very lucky, getting to be a northern planner usually means doing something else in an agency first – usually being a suit – or having been a planner somewhere else. I was very lucky to have a boss who let me learn on the job (do you ever stop?) and send me on loads of APG courses.
Which brings me to basics. Reading John Steel is a great start, but learning mundane, essential things like the difference between groups and quant is virtually impossible without a mentor, or trips to London. You can have the skills, with no where to put it.
It would be easy for a suit up north, who blogs, to think planning is easy – all theory and drinking coffee. So I’m taking it upon myself to share some basic learning from all those courses and learning the hard way Sorry if 99% of you find it like sucking eggs, but if I want more planners to talk to out here ( and I love the ones here already by the way) I’ve got to put my money where my mouth is and help people who may want to be one.
Little of it will be original, it’s gleaned from the wisdom of course leaders, so I’ll name check where I can. Hope that avoids any delusions of grandeur accusations. While I’m no one, these people are not. Folks like George Bryant, Merry Baskin, Janet Grimes and, of course Russell. And I’ll be starting with what the hell planning is actually for.
For now, here’s a link to this blog’s most visited post – working with suits. In case you weren’t around in this time last year.
And hopefully those people who actually know what they’re talking about can add to this stuff with their comments.
NORTHERN PLANNER 
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