Publisher's Synopsis
The Creative Project Manager - And Now for Something Completely Different Four simple words will change your life: Create, Team, Inspire and Reward. These are the phases of my creative process to manage work and play, every day. You are always just one great idea away from changing your life. Success is waiting for those who can think differently.Learn to Act on your best ideas, build a team and a plan and deliver the results you need.This book is all about change, using a project model to achieve it and a creative collaboration approach to guide your actions. Work and life become partners in a project which combines career, family and a purposeful life. Today's idea economy demands the best thinking of everyone on your team. Your leadership must foster collaboration between equals who share the same goals, vision and sense of purpose. Learn Where Ideas Come FromIdeas are everywhere, but we rarely act on them. It is hard word to develop your very best ideas into meaningful outcomes that change your life. We are all creative, but rarely rewarded for new thoughts. Now learn how to spark your creative engine using my techniques based on the latest research and my experience in leading many projects, both personal and in business. Use my JERPS idea engine (Juxtaposition, Exaggeration, Repetition, Personification and Shift) to fuel your creative team. Learn how to balance creativity and productivity together to find the best ways to deliver your value outcomes.Lead a team to achieve your goals Life is a project. We can use project management to inspire others, lead them towards goals and reward their combined efforts. The creative approach detailed in this book explains HOW to lead your team from creating ideas to those final rewards. Learn to separate the WHAT from the HOW, which is the key to setting you free to deliver your goals early and often. Project management is not a rigid, straight line from start to finish. Ideas and alternatives abound in every project, both in business and in your personal life. This is your chance to do something completely different.Learn from Example Project CasesI use many project examples from my business and personal experience to show you how, each step of the way. From multi-million dollar efforts to my own personal life changes, I show you how I applied the concepts and methods to achieve success. I also use the example of the Monty Python Project Team and their four movies. They are one of the most successful and independent creative teams of all time. Their story and examples from their movies show you how to work together, to find your project holy grail, to inspire each other and keep the faith and understand the meaning of life. Most important, they are examples of how to have fun, break the rules and reward decades of doing something completely different. In short, to always look on the bright side of project life!About the AuthorCraig Forgrave is a professional project manager (PMP) with over 25 years of successful project delivery in the public and private sector. He specializes in business value discovery, creative project collaboration and strategic consultation on multi-million dollar projects and programs. He is also a financial advisor, screenwriter and member of the Writers Guild of Canada and has been featured in publications such as the L.A. Times, CNBC, CNN Entertainment and The Globe and Mail.