The Project Manager as the Chief Innovator

Author: Terry Michael

A Project Manager, no matter what industry, is typically seen to be no more than the administrator/team manager of a particular business initiative that has been handed to them by the Executive to complete with a fixed budget, scope and timeline.

 But I would like to highlight that a great resource opportunity is being under utilized and can be a lot more. A Project Manager with the mandate to lead a project in the areas of budget, scope and schedule is in the perfect position to bring about innovation thinking outcomes and grow Innovation Culture, if properly supported by the Executive.

 The enemy of innovation culture is always organisational processes and non-performance culture, these two organizational elements when combined ultimately create a Network Effect that results in a resistance to change that stifles Innovation Culture and is experienced within each organization by the amount of “pushback” for project implementation.

 If any company wants to implement an Innovation Culture, then the Project Manager is in the perfect position to drive, demonstrate, mentor and teach innovation – a great resource opportunity for each organization to seize, if they know how.