Why This Perspective Matters
Project management isn’t just a science, it’s an art. As someone whose professional journey began not in a boardroom, but backstage, I’ve learned that the skills honed in on in the theater are the very ones that bring a project plan to life and elevate good project managers into great ones.
With a BFA in Stage Management, my early career revolved around scripts, cues, lighting plots, and cast dynamics. I learned to lead under pressure, solve problems in real time, and orchestrate people with precision and empathy. These weren’t just artistic skills—they were foundational leadership skills.
Today, I manage complex projects, coordinate cross-functional teams, and hit tight deadlines. I bring the same mindset I used in the theater: every project plan is a production, every team is a cast, and every success hinges on how well you blend structure with creativity.
While Gantt charts and budgets keep things moving, it’s your ability to read the room, adapt on the fly, and lead with clarity and vision that truly determines a project’s success.
So let’s talk about sitcoms, stagecraft, and modern art, and how they reveal the human truths behind our daily project work.
1. Sitcoms and the Human Side of Project Work
Think about your favorite sitcoms. Whether it’s The Office, Parks and Rec, or Brooklyn 99, the setting is just a backdrop. The real story is always the people—the quirks, the conflicts, the camaraderie.
That’s project management.
Sure, you’re coordinating timelines and deliverables. But mostly, you’re navigating people; stakeholders with competing priorities, team members with different working styles, and clients who rewrite the project plan midstream.
- The Office shows us what happens when roles are vague and leadership lacks direction.
- Parks and Rec reminds us that heart and hustle can overcome bureaucracy.
- Brooklyn 99 models the magic of blending trust, humor, and high performance.
Project lesson: Your team isn’t a spreadsheet. It’s a dynamic cast of characters. Know them. Support them. Lead them with clarity, compassion, and sometimes, comedy.
2. Theater & Film: Every Project is a Production
Every project plan has an “opening night,” a moment when all the moving parts come together to deliver something to a client, a user, or a community.
Behind that moment is a production:
- Pre-production (planning)
- Rehearsals (reviews and refinements)
- A cast and crew (your cross-functional team)
- Tech checks, wardrobe malfunctions, and script rewrites (aka real-world surprises)
And just like in theater, the show must go on even if the lead gets sick, the set falls apart, or the audience changes their expectations.
Project lesson: You’re not just managing tasks. You’re directing a performance. Your job isn’t to control every scene but to orchestrate flow, resolve drama, and guide the team toward a standing ovation.
3. Modern Art: Finding Creativity in Constraints
Project managers often work within tight frameworks, fixed budgets, rigid timelines, and regulatory red tape. But some of the most brilliant innovations happen under these very constraints.
Think of artists like Warhol, Basquiat, or Banksy. They didn’t wait for perfect conditions. They pushed boundaries, experimented with form, and challenged the rules.
So do you:
- Designing within client restrictions
- Innovating with limited resources
- Adapting to evolving tech and remote collaboration
Project lesson: Constraints don’t kill creativity, they refine it. Embrace the mess, the ambiguity, and the unfinished canvas. Some of your best ideas will emerge right there.
4. Managing Projects Like an Artist
Project managers are more than planners. You’re interpreters, motivators, and visionaries. Your canvas might be a jobsite, a timeline, or a stakeholder meeting—but make no mistake, you are creating something.
- The schedule is your structure
- The team is your medium
- Your leadership is the brushstroke
And no two projects or teams will ever be the same. That’s art.
Final Thought: Blending Art and Structure
Whether you’re managing a new software rollout, a fast-track buildout, or a complex cross-functional initiative, your job goes beyond deliverables. You’re part planner, part artist. Because every project plan tells a story and behind every successful one is a project manager who knows how to bring structure and humanity together.
Want to explore how other project managers do it?
Join us at AEC PM Connect, a one-day event built for project managers, by project managers. It’s a space to connect, share strategies, and learn how others are managing the same pressures, personalities, and possibilities.
Because when it comes to project success, spreadsheets matter, but so does the art of leading people.
About the Author
Fiona Johann, PMP, joined The Engineering Management Institute as the strategic initiatives team leader in February 2025. With eight years of experience in developing leadership programs in an academic setting, she brings valuable expertise in planning and executing impactful initiatives. Fiona utilizes her PMP certification and program management skills to oversee events like PM AEC Connect and optimize internal processes for improved efficiency. Based in central North Carolina, she combines her strategic approach with a passion for driving successful outcomes at EMI.
