The Chief Marketing Officer of the Project Management Institute, Menaka Gopinath, tells OGHENOVO EGODO-MICHAEL about the place of project management in today’s world.
Looking at the gap between creativity and execution in project management, what does it take to have a good idea?
Leaning into curiosity is key. If one wants one’s audience to think about new possibilities, as marketers, one needs to hone this important skill by oneself. Learning how to ask questions and to collaborate in this way helps one to see situations with fresh eyes, and even challenge the status quo. A great example of this is The Art of Hack campaign for Samsung. It combined humour and a unique tax-based discount on art to drive record sales in Spain for its Frame TV.
Why is it so hard for many people to translate their ideas into action?
It is important to be intentional about the creative process. But, we need to take the time to slow down to move fast. Teams need to make space to think deeply and fuel that creativity, but it’s difficult to do so in today’s marketing environment, where execution is becoming even more complex. Marketers and agencies are working across a record number of channels, collaboratively across cultures and time zones. And, they are trying to do all of that at a dizzying speed, so that they can leverage moments in time for maximum impact. But, if only they would slow down to learn different ways of working, they can free up more time for the creative process.
What does it take to put the ideas you have just espoused into action?
Project managers are needed more than ever in the marketing world. Having worked in-house with a company, also with an agency, I personally know the pressure that teams are under to deliver high standards, attention-grabbing creative work; while being ahead of the competition. However, project management is becoming the solution for delivering this unique mix of creativity, with technical and operational know-how. When one upskills one’s teams with critical project skills, it also drives greater impact, especially in the areas of effective cross-functional collaboration and communication, managing clients and stakeholders, strategic planning, leveraging data, and keeping track of all the moving pieces, while continuously optimising efforts.
Meanwhile, some agencies are taking this a step further. I have been seeing an early trend of agencies establishing project management offices to drive more successful project practices across their client accounts. The PMO acts as a central hub for an agency, creating consistent practices and processes across projects and campaigns, and helping teams push past barriers to deliver high-quality activations.
Should the creative person overvalued in relation to the executor?
Creativity can and should remain a big part of execution. Standout campaigns usually have both creativity and flawless execution, so they are both needed. But, the challenge now is about maximising creativity and protecting the space needed to enable it. Project managers are needed on teams to unleash creative potential, and then bring it life.
In all of these, where is the meeting point between idea and execution?
At the core of good project management are two foundational skillsets that will serve one throughout one’s career— developing strong business acumen, and the interpersonal skills one will need to lead. Professionals can work with all project stakeholders to effectively communicate and implement the strategy and key objectives throughout the entire project. Implementing the ‘why’ of a project is a skill in itself. It is the core of the initiative and an essential foundation. That is why learning project skills is more than just about execution; it can give one a good grounding in essential leadership skills that will help to boost one’s career.
Meanwhile, complex execution can often mean projects hit unexpected roadblocks. But, how does one handle those, particularly when it’s so common? Having a project manager on one’s team to tackle problem-solving and help align different stakeholders can help immensely. That buttresses the point that a project manager is more than just an executor. They are team leaders, who can rally teams around a common goal, and bring knowledge and expertise from other projects, and share those resolutions with their teams to drive success.
What role do teams play in the process of generating ideas and executing them?
Creative project teams are varied and can change from project to project. Collaboration is vital throughout the entirety of the project. That is why we call interpersonal skills, such as collaborative leadership, communication, problem-solving, and strategic thinking ‘power skills’ for project professionals.
For the idea stage, one never knows where inspiration may come from, so being open to new ideas and active listening are key skills for project leaders. If one is from a creative background and wants to upskill in project management, that is a powerful combination. Not only do they understand the creative process, but they can also be effective facilitators that benefit the whole team.
With multi-channel execution, different teams are also involved in the execution process, as they are experts on those platforms. It is important to know how to bring different stakeholders together for the different stages of one’s project, and get the best out of them.
What is the key to the successful execution of an idea in project management?
Prioritising power skills is the key to successful projects. A particular research found that organisations that prioritise power skills are significantly better at completing projects that meet business goals. And, they waste less investment due to poor project performance compared to the global average (4.8 per cent versus 5.2 per cent); which is far less than organisations that put a low priority on power skills (8.8 per cent). These power skills are critical for creative project professionals who are working across diverse teams.
What advice do you have for young creatives as regards executing their ideas?
Creativity can come from the most unexpected places, it is important to stay curious. Unleashing creativity and navigating complexity are here to stay, so continue developing your professional skills to maximise creativity and execution to help you stand out in your career.