Marissa Grass
Marissa Grass is the associate planner for Tigard, Ore., where she has worked in planning for seven years. Her time is spent on long-range planning projects, with River Terrace ? the city?s urban growth expansion area ? taking priority. Grass serves as Project Coordinator and Public Involvement/Communications Lead for this project.
The accomplishment of which you are the most proud? ?
I served as the Public Involvement lead for our Urban Forestry Code Revisions project. This project is the recipient of the 2013 Professional Achievement in Planning Award (Oregon Chapter of the American Planning Association), and 2014 National Planning Excellence Award for a Best Practice (American Planning Association).
As part of interviews for an APA award video, one stakeholder stated, ?The fact that this diverse group could come to a consensus?was really remarkable.? For me personally, the success of this project is measured in the relationships that were built, the high quality of the work, and innovative nature of the results. I think this will always be a highlight of my career.
The greatest leadership challenge you faced, and how you conquered it? ? Upon the sudden departure of the previous project manager, I was asked to take over the Urban Forestry Code Revisions project in the middle of the council adoption process. It was a particularly tough review process, and at the same time my supervisor left the city as well.
The following collaborative learning principles really helped me to keep a fresh perspective about the process:
– The task is to manage conflict, not resolve it.
– Consensus is not the only measure of satisfaction or success.
– Progress results from improvements rather than solutions.
– Improved decisions result from mutual and meaningful learning.
What, in your opinion, makes a good leader? ? ?Success is knowing the difference between cornering people and getting them in your corner.?
