Small Town vs. Big City – The Opportunity Debate

We all know the romanticized idea of the big city with big opportunities. You can find it anywhere: music, movies, theatre, books, the list goes on. It seems simple enough – big cities have more opportunity – there’s more people, more business, more everything. Being from a very small town, I always thought this to be true. After moving to Toronto and settling in over the past year, I’ve started to question this basic assumption.

Here’s how I came to question things…

The issue has recently resurfaced in the final weeks of my post-graduate program as I’ve started to reintegrate into the business world, this time in Toronto. It’s become apparent in a number of encounters. I’ve been having discussions with my peers, and with mentors from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS). I’ve been working on a few projects with two separate organizations. I’ve also been interviewing and speaking with companies and agencies for a placement that we are required to complete in my program.

The people I’m discussing things with are sometimes surprised by my past experiences and the kinds of things I’ve done. For example, my first job in high school was running a computer access site under an Industry Canada program. I don’t think that’s the typical experience of a 16-year-old. I’ve had a series of positions that followed this pattern of diving into things that would typically be beyond my age bracket. On one hand, I work hard on everything I do and didn’t end up anywhere without planning and effort. On the other hand, I have to attribute many of these opportunities, in part, to living in rural Ontario or a medium sized city.

Limited resources in smaller towns meant more opportunity for those who sought it out. I ended up in some really interesting positions, thanks to some supportive managers. In contrast, now that I’ve lived in both Ottawa and Toronto, I feel like I have a strong grasp on the big city.

There are an endless amount of companies you can work for here in Toronto. There are more positions and you can rise up the ranks of some of the world’s largest corporations. You can’t do these things in smaller towns or even medium –sized cities. This is an environment you only find in a global city. There is tremendous opportunity. But, the resources are here, more people are here. The roles are more defined and specialized. I’ve learned in my discussions that you can’t just show up and dive in to the degree I was accustomed to in a smaller environment.

This will take some adjustment for me. I like diving in, I like the challenge. So, I’ll keep doing it and see if I can’t bring a little small town attitude to the big city. When it works, I’ll run with it. When it doesn’t, I’ll be patient and contribute in the best ways that I can. Of course, I still have plenty to learn, so a little patience on my part isn’t such a bad thing!

So where’s the most opportunity, really? Well, you have a much broader spectrum in the big city, but you can more quickly find flexibility and depth in a smaller town – if you can find a position at all.

Politics and bureaucrats

The removal of Gary Webster as chief general manager of the TTC caused a firestorm of opinion and media coverage. Webster’s not the first high profile bureaucrat to get the boot in recent years. In fact, it seems to be a growing trend.

Performance issues for any top bureaucrat or other high-profile leader are debatable, maybe some of these individuals were on their way out, maybe not. The political timing of their departure is no accident and neither is the outrage that follows.

In some situations a better communications strategy could mitigate the political damage done. If there are reasons for removing bureaucratic leaders at a particular moment in time, then do a better job of communicating. Sudden, unclear firings during political turmoil tend to look bad. Both sides may lose credibility.

Everyone is aware of the modern, more active political firing squad. So what now? Will voters react at the polls? Will bureaucratic leaders increasingly reflect political influence?

It’s time for a talk. Politicians need to reinforce the position of bureaucratic leaders and restore trust. Alternatively, there needs to be an honest public dialogue about the influence of politics at the higher levels of public service and an evaluation of what that means. This whole issue needs a boost in transparency and accountability. It doesn’t have to be this messy.