By its form, as by the manner of its birth, the city has elements at once of biological procreation, organic evolution and aesthetic creation. It is both a natural object and a thing to be cultivated; something lived and something dreamed. It is the human invention par excellence. — Claude Levi-Strauss
What are you likely to hear from City Hall if you propose something new such as a gardening project on an empty city lot?
Pat answers, most likely. Have a response ready that will keep the conversation going and the options alive. For example:
• “I’m too busy to deal with that.” Ask to schedule a more convenient time. If you can’t get one, ask for the name of a supervisor to whom you can address your concerns about this staff member’s scheduling difficulties.
• “We don’t have the budget.” Explain that you’ll pay for it yourself. Or look through the budget for openings that might apply to your case.
• “But we’ve never done it before.” Remind them that they also hadn’t used electric light bulbs before, at some point, until someone finally decided to give something other than the gas lamp a try.
• “I loved it but, hey, my supervisor wouldn’t budge.” Ask for a written explanation from the supervisor detailing why. You’ll at least know your proposal is being heard. And you may be able to use the objections to find areas where you share common ground.