It’s tough to think about career development and professional growth when you’re juggling multiple projects, placating demanding clients (and bosses!) and putting out the day-to-day fires that make digital agencies such exciting places to work. But every now and then we all need to step back, take stock of our progress and plan for our future—and the online 2021 Digital PM Summit offers the perfect opportunity to do just that.
Over the course of two days, Oct. 25 and 26, top industry professionals will expose you to different perspectives and help you develop new skills while you make connections throughout the industry. Our lineup of speakers features 18 of the best in the business — and who better to help you advance in your career journey? We asked these pros to share some insights in advance of the summit to give you a taste of what they have to say.
What is one piece of advice you have for a new digital project manager?
The experts agreed: There’s no substitute for basic competence.
“Take the time to get things right the first time, and always double-check,” said Chantelle Campbell, Projects Director at Paper Leaf. Raghid El-Yafouri, VP and Group Director of Product Management at GTB Agency, said “doing it right each and every time” builds credibility and trust, especially with critical tasks such as creating timelines and statuses or running a meeting. Also helpful: being proactive and thinking ahead to next steps, noted Marcus Ohanesian, Account Strategist at Trellis Commerce.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions, advised Mackenzie Dysart, Product Manager at Connected. Larissa Severn, Director of Client Engagement at Orases, agreed. “Get different opinions if you’re unsure of how to proceed,” she said. “And lean on your team. You don’t have to solve the world’s problems alone.” It’s smart to figure out what makes your boss, and the agency principals, tick, so you can align your values and mission with theirs, said Dean Schuster, Partner, User Experience Strategy at truematter.
Develop an arsenal of people skills, suggested Galen Low, Co-Founder of The Digital Project Manager. “Social engineering is a core part of your job,” he said, so be prepared to “charm, barter, beg, flatter, manipulate and otherwise persuade” people at every level.
If things occasionally go wrong — and they will — don’t flip out, said Patrice Embry, Freelance Digital Project Manager & SuperFriend at SuperFriend.ly, noting, “Get comfortable with that and you’ll make others comfortable as well.” And if you start to feel overwhelmed, “take a moment to breathe,” counseled Josie Castaner, Director of PM at GetWellNetwork. “Step away from your task and level-set your mind,” she said. “That’s the key to keeping all the moving parts manageable.”
What are the most important qualities and/or skills (soft or hard) of a successful digital project manager?
Many of the experts stressed the need for attention to detail and communication skills. Dean put it creatively. “You need an obsession with details, preternatural calm and detachment in the face of inevitable chaos, and utter paranoia about the supposed effectiveness of daily human communication,” he declared. “The ability to understand differences in individuals is important, because humans are messy.”
Patrice sees empathy as vital, but believes trustworthiness is even more critical. Crystal Richards, Principal and Owner at MindsparQ, cited diplomacy and tact, especially when dealing with conflict. Larissa highlighted the importance of empathy and active listening. “Try to see all perspectives, and hear your team and your clients out, even if you disagree,” she added. Mackenzie said that the ability to anticipate reactions and the cause and effect of actions is a plus.
Josie observed that managers must walk a fine line. “Learn to manage resources, but don’t micromanage,” she counseled. “As long as you’re setting clear expectations and goals with your team, it doesn’t matter how work gets done. Delegate, trust and communicate expectations.”
What do you see as the future of digital project management?
All agreed that technology will play a bigger part in the business. Raghid sees artificial intelligence and machine learning being used “for functions like planning, resource management and risk recognition.”
Peter Taylor, consultant, coach, and author, believes that’s a good thing. He said, “Digital project managers, at least the smart ones, need to fully explore what artificial intelligence is bringing to the project 'party' and embrace it fully, with open arms and excitement. DPMs will have more time for what they do best: working with people and getting the very best out of the teams that they lead.”
Galen agrees that technology can be liberating, commenting, “You'll be freed up to dive deep on the things that can't be easily automated, including strategic communications, managing risk, conflict resolution and establishing ways of working.” The human factor can help in that regard as well. “Delegating routine tasks to other members of the team will enable DPMs to become more strategic,” added Patrice.
People skills, especially collaboration, will always be critical, Chantelle added. “As organizations and teams continue embracing remote and hybrid work, the ability to align your team or stakeholders from wherever they might be, whenever they might be working, will become increasingly important.” Flexible work arrangements could foster team happiness and work/life integration, added Larissa. These trends underscore the growing need for soft skills such as leadership, mentoring and mindfulness, which can’t be replaced by technology, Josie observed.
Though the future will usher in lots of change, “this isn't doom and gloom for us digital PMs,” Galen stressed. “It's just a new beginning. My advice? Don't expect to stay put. Gear up and get ready to ride the wave of change. Spoiler alert: it's already happening.”
Learn more about the Digital PM Summit or register now!