Ask an expert: Elizabeth Cragg on lessons from nearly a decade at U of T

Elizabeth Cragg doesn’t like to sit still. She wakes up at 4:30 a.m., devours four to five books a week on her daily commute, swims laps and attends morning classes. Since she joined U of T almost a decade ago, Cragg, the director of the office of the vice president, university operations, has occupied five roles, including managing operations for the Pan Am Games at U of T's downtown Toronto campus. She has also served as a mentor to many.  Currently pursuing an MBA at the Rotman School of Management, she spoke with us about her career at U of T and lessons learned over that time.

What gets you excited to wake up in the morning?

I love my job. I can’t believe the role I have, working with the people that I do and doing the things that I do. We are a large and an incredibly diverse portfolio and that means everyday is completely different. It’s what makes it so exciting. Almost every day I get a phone call with the person on the other end of the line saying “I know this question isn’t really for you, but I figure you will know the answer.” You get to meet people, and I’m a collector of relationships (I hope not in a bad way). I’m just curious about people and what they do, and how everything links together.

(Cragg is the organizer of the university operations Than-Q BBQ – see the award recipients and pictures from the event) 

What’s the best part about working at U of T?

The opportunities. I got into U of T on a one-year maternity leave at the department of university advancement as associate director of donor relations. I was asked to do a lot of other things when I was there. I just kept saying yes because that’s how you get to know what’s going on.

Secondly, people are always having interesting conversations here. They’re thinking about things on a different playing field. People come from all different backgrounds and all walks of life, and it opens up your eyes. I just think U of T is a place of opportunity for everybody.

What’s the worst part of your job?

The worst part of my job is if I feel that I’m not contributing, or if I’ve let somebody down, or if I haven’t put University Operations’ best foot forward. I hate saying “no”, so the best part is when I can say “yes” or I can solve a problem.

What advice do you have for a new staff member?

Two key things for new staff:

1. Listen and take it all in before you offer suggestions – though I haven’t always followed that advice

2. Schedule three key look back sessions in your diary at six weeks, three months and one year. When you come to a place as complicated and sometimes nuanced as U of T, it can be overwhelming – heck, starting a new job is always overwhelming! But if you take the time to look back at each of these junctures, you will be amazed at what you have learned in such a relatively short amount of time. This always calmed me when I began to feel overwhelmed.

Do you have advice for those looking to grow their career at U of T?  

1. Be open to change – and make sure people know that you are.

2. Make friends with your HR team: HR consultants are always looking for talent, and a priority at U of T is keeping good talent. Make sure that your HR contact knows if and when you are looking for a new opportunity. And don’t leave it too late – if you foresee wanting a change a year down the road, tell them!