Lessons Learned Being A Creative Director
Why I Chose to Repeat AIMC
I chose to repeat Applied Integrated Marketing Communications (AIMC) because it gave me an opportunity to refine my skills in both marketing and management . One of the things my professor said to me before I registered for the class, was that the benefit of taking AIMC over again is that you get to see the class from a new perspective.
When you're a Content Creator you are focused on completing a task and when you're a Product Manager you're focused on managing your squad. But when you're on the Executive Team your goal is to keep the vision intact. This is especially challenging when you were juggling not one but TWO marketing campaigns at the same time. They need to be integrated, thoroughly executed, and everyone from the top to the bottom of the organization needs to be clear on their roles and goals.
This is how real organizations operate, and because I decided to do this class again (even though I didn't have to) I now have more repetitions in my belt and feel more confidence moving from college into the workforce.
Importance of Organization
It might go without saying, but organization is of the utmost importance; especially when dealing with concurrent marketing campaigns.There are a few organizational artifacts that I will continue to use well into my career.
One of them is the Kanban. This is a fantastic tool that not only allows you to break down large goals into small tasks but also is a fantastic way to increase transparency on your team. You can see what everyone's working on and when they do it, allowing for less ambiguity in everyone's roles and contribution towards goals.
Something else I'm continuing is Backwards Planning. Not only does it put time into a different perspective, but also allows you to build buffers so that when your team inevitably falls behind on a deadline (as everyone does) you still have time to recover and implement feedback.
Breaking Down Silos
Silos represent the natural isolation that groups within an organization experience when there is a lack of communication, especially between cross-functional teams. A good manager knows that in order for an organization to flourish and reach its fullest potential these silos need to be broken down. This can be done in a few different ways:
The Kanban
Workflow Visualization
Regular, Timely Feedback
Team Bonding
Final Thoughts
I'm beyond grateful for the opportunity to participate in AIMC. The amount of learning and development I went through cannot be understated. From getting to experience the media production process for the first time, to teaching it to others, to experiencing a new organizational structure, I can well and truly say that this class will pay dividends for years to come.
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