Wild Blue Yonder Talent Development For Creative Companies From Project Manager to Project Master: New Skill Requirements for Today’s Project Leads By Gary Duke Partner, Chief Talent Officer Onsite Training • Webinars • Talent & Culture Consulting • Retreats • wildblueyonder.biz
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Wild Blue Yonder - gallery.mailchimp.com€¦ · Wild Blue Yonder, Inc. Page 1 Now that project-based, multi-agency teams working on behalf of a common client are the new normal,
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Wild Blue YonderTalent Development For Creative Companies
Agency Rosters Vary In Terms Of Size And Makeup, But Typically Fall Into One Of Three Models:
Client Led Model The client takes the lead coordinating efforts and deliverables across agencies. There may be a designated lead agency for concept development or implementa-tion activities, but the client is in the driver’s seat throughout the process.
Lead Agency Model An agency is selected by the client to lead the project and oversee the work of partner agencies. Which agency plays the lead varies by project and is chosen based on the specific requirements of the assignment.
Organic Model The client facilitates communication between partner agencies, but no single agency or the client drives the entire process. There may be times when an agency takes a lead role for a specific phase of development, but otherwise collaboration is very loose and organic.
No matter which model is followed, the role of project management in these circumstances is exceedingly more complex. Not only are project managers responsible for work contained within their own agencies, but they must now coordinate with — and often lead — other agencies with whom they have little or no prior working relationship.
New Skills & Experience RequirementsSuccessful agencies in the post-AOR, multi-agency world are retooling the job requirements
of project managers to reflect their evolving roles. These firms recognize the need to realign —
and often elevate — the function within the organization. Key attributes for today’s project
managers include:
Relying less on processClient demands dictate that agencies be nimble and responsive in the moment. It’s less about following a specific internal process and more about providing an ideal collaborative environment in which team members — both within the agency and externally — can develop their best ideas. Recognizing the differences and knowing how to move forward in the absence of an established process requires a different mindset from traditional project management.
Possessing a high degree of emotional intelligenceProject managers interact with a wide-spectrum of personalities on the team. This requires them to identify, use, understand, and manage emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, overcome challenges, and defuse conflict among team members. This skill is particularly important when dealing with external agency partners, where inherent competitive dynamics can get in the way of collaboration.
Agencies staffing these positions with
properly trained project “masters” are being
rewarded with new assignments from clients
who expect and appreciate the unique skills
and talents required to manage projects
across agency partners.
Skills For Today’s Project Managers• Less process, more people-focused• Embraces changing parameters• Facilitates team cohesion• High emotional intelligence• Solid judgement & experience
Being adept at building team cohesionWith most projects requiring quick turnarounds without much ramp-up time, project managers need to quickly build trust and open communication between team members. And they need to make sure that everyone on the team believes they have an equal voice.
Having more on-the-job experienceProject management should no longer be delegated to junior staff members who are just starting out their careers — the stakes are simply too high. Today’s project managers need to have enough experience under their belts to exercise good judgement in the moment.
Gary Duke is Partner & Chief Talent Officer of Wild Blue Yonder, a talent development and consulting firm specializing in the creative services industry. Clients represent leading consumer brands and ad agencies throughout the US and