|
|
Creativity for Project
Managers
|
Abstract:
|
Dr. Oliver Schlake |
“We can't solve problems by using
the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”
Albert Einstein’s famous quote comes to
mind in this challenging business climate. Instead of going “back to basics”,
project managers must instead seek new and innovative ways to get the job
done – often with tighter deadlines, fewer people, and a constricted budget.
Therefore,
creative problem solving is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for project
managers to stay on time and on budget.
There are many benefits to employ creativity
in managing projects:
-
beating deadlines by redesigning established
processes
-
improving employee motivation and retention
when they can be part of a creative process
-
finding outside-the-box solutions for critical
problems
-
better career opportunities for creative project
managers due to more challenging (and creativity requiring) assignments.
But creativity is not an on-demand service.
It is essential for project managers to understand obstacles to creativity
and how to overcome them, learn and practice creativity techniques, and
learn from best-practices of leading creative organizations. Ultimately,
the workshop gives answers to the question:
“Does more creativity in managing
projects pay off?”
The workshop consists of three modules:
Module 1 explores why creativity
matters for project managers and how they can benefit from more creativity.
The workshop participants explore the process of creative problem solving,
which both helps to overcome organizational inertia and fights off the
“corporate immune system”, which in turn prevents new ideas from hatching.
Module 2 introduces several techniques
on how to infuse more creativity into projects. It includes manual and
electronic mind mapping to visually roadmap complex projects, turning task
lists into meaningful assignments for team members using storytelling and
employing open innovation techniques to find better creative solutions
outside the organization.
Module 3 focuses on strategies to build
and sustain a creative project management culture. Participants will learn
management techniques to better manage “creative types”, how to avoid killing
creativity – and productivity along with it, and how to reward for creativity
within the scope of managing projects.
The modules are supported by several hands-on
exercises, ready-to-use worksheets and checklists as well as “best practices”
stories from well-known and not-so-well-known companies around the world.
The design of the workshop is interactive and participants gain more insight
through active participation and sharing of experiences.
Bio
Dr. Oliver Schlake is a Tyser Teaching
Fellow and full-time faculty member at the Robert H. Smith School of Business
at the University of Maryland, College Park, a senior business consultant,
entrepreneur and researcher. He is also the Faculty Director for the Undergraduate
Entrepreneurship Fellows Program, and teaches courses in Strategy Implementation,
Industry and Competitor Analysis, Corporate Venturing, Entrepreneurship,
and Creativity for Business Leaders.
As a strategic advisor and management consultant,
he specializes in business foresight and innovative strategy design, helping
organizations and individuals better respond to uncertainty, change and
complexity with innovative, flexible and future robust strategies.
Oliver’s current research interest is in
the field of scenario planning, business foresight, innovation strategy
and entrepreneurship. His work on collaborative scenario-planning is known
worldwide, and the "Scenario Management" he developed has been adopted
by Siemens, Deutsche Telekom, Metso and UPM (both Finland) at the core
of their planning processes. He has authored and co-authored four
books and more than 60 journal publications on long-term strategic planning,
technology management and business intelligence.
Oliver earned a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering
from the University of Paderborn’s “Heinz Nixdorf Institute”, Germany where
also earned his Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering and in Business
Management. Prior to joining the Robert H. Smith School of Business in
January 2006, Oliver was Assistant Professor for E-Business and Business
Strategy at National University, San Diego.
Agenda
Registration: 12:30
Start: 1:00
Break: 3:00
End: 5:00 (4 PDUs)
Event Code - C020-030509
Updated: 04Jun09 |
