Creativity — Make It Part of Your Toolkit with guest Scott Berkun

Stephen W. Maye is your host for Projectified with PMI. In this episode, Stephen discusses creativity with Scott Berkun, a bestselling author, sought-after speaker, and former Microsoft project manager. Scott explains creativity’s often misunderstood and neglected role in project work, how to foster and apply creativity in process-oriented environments today, and why it will become even more important in the future of project professionals.

 

Scott describes creativity as a creation and problem-solving process within project roles. He emphasizes that the process of creation and being creative is to not only create something new but to maintain and improve pre-existing ideas. Scott discusses the importance of defining ‘good’ when it comes to creativity, the relevance of creativity in the project management role, the benefits of applying creativity to any role, and where creativity fits in an increasingly automated and digitized world.

 

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Key Takeaways:

[:28] Stephen provides some background on Scott and welcomes him to the podcast

[1:09] What’s the deal with Scott’s hair?

[2:49] Scott’s definition of creativity

[5:12] Scott’s early project manager role with Microsoft

[6:04] Reflecting back on his role as a project manager: Where was creativity relevant?

[7:34] The importance of defining ‘good’ and who gets to define ‘good’

[11:08] Where creativity fits in a world that is becoming increasingly more automated and digitized.

[14:14] Who is at greatest risk for losing their job to automation?

[16:02] Creativity’s relevancy in projects in an ever-increasing automated world and how project managers can better bring creativity to their job.

[20:15] The opportunities and benefits of applying creativity in the role of project management.

 

Links:

Making Things Happen: Mastering Project Management, by Scott Berkun

The Dance of the Possible: the mostly honest completely irreverent guide to creativity,
by Scott Berkun

ScottBerkun.com