This "Simple Deck" gives junior and aspiring planners advice on how to be a good junior strategist. Simple Decks are packaged units of content that are put together in no-frills slideshare decks. No story. No design. Purely actionable content.

1. A Simple Deck On How To Be A
Good Junior Planner
By: @Ryan_Drumwright
Head of Strategy + Planning, Partner
@ TDA New York

2. Be Interested + Interesting
• Seek out experiences that fuel your curiosity and get you out of
your comfort zone. For example:
– Attend (or participate in) performance art exhibitions
– Spend one day/month in a neighborhood where your native language
is a second language
– Conduct man on the street interviews
– Play “Meetup Roulette” by randomly selecting a new meetup to
attend each week
– Read a new magazine every week
– Explore niche online communities passionate about off-beat topics
– Eavesdrop on conversations at cafes, and journal about what you hear
– Create one 15-minute art piece / day for a year, and document each
piece
– Start a side project
– Take a roadtrip, and document your journey

3. Read About Strategy (And The World)
• The Account Planners of NYC Pinterest
“Library”
• Must-read Blogs About Strategy, Art and
Technology

4. Immerse Yourself In The Planning Community
• Join The Account Planners of NYC
• Follow Julian Cole’s 50 Planners To Watch on
Twitter

5. Think Beyond The Job Description
• Go out of your way to provide extra value to
the team. For example:
– Develop an inspiration newsletter
– Invite insightful speakers to the agency
– Take the initiative to seek out interesting events,
and invite colleagues to attend
– Volunteer to work with agency leaders to shape
the agency’s culture

6. Find Mentors + Allies
• Find people you respect, and ask them to be
your mentor. A few tips:
– Don’t be afraid to ask for a mentorship, but be
mindful of your mentor’s time
– Actively listen to what your mentor is saying, and
find ways to bring value to their lives
– Seek out mentors from outside the strategy
discipline

7. ABOUT SIMPLE DECKS
Simple Decks are packaged units of content that are put together in
no-frills slideshare decks. No story. No design. Purely actionable
content.
ABOUT RYAN
Ryan is a former strategist, founder of the Account Planners of NYC, and
Head of Strategy + Planning, Partner at TDA New York, an empathy-driven
talent agency for strategists, creatives/ux and developers.
Twitter // LinkedIn // Email