Here's how you can navigate the challenges of being an intern in Creative Strategy.

The most powerful learnings of a good planner / strategist comes from social studies, economics, and understanding the dynamics of how people very different from you think live and feel. The biggest risk now a days are strong bubble belief systems in which people transmit to brands their strong POVs thinking they're making the world a better place. Keep the brand and it's audience / user always in mind.

Do, undo, redo (start the loop endlessly) is certainly the first piece of advice. I'm going to highlight learning (Project-Based Learning, PBL) here. Engage fully in current projects as if you were in charge of them. Project-based learning allows you to understand the different stages of a creative strategy campaign, from conception to execution. I recommend reading (“Hacking Project Based Learning”) which is for me the reference in this learning method.

Navigate the challenges of being an intern in Creative Strategy by staying proactive and eager to learn. Seek feedback, ask questions, and take initiative on projects. Build relationships with mentors and colleagues, observe industry best practices, and be adaptable to new tasks. Stay organized, manage your time effectively, and be open to constructive criticism. Demonstrate your enthusiasm and commitment to contribute meaningfully to the team.

Knowing how to tell stories is a decisive asset in creative strategy. Storytelling creates memorable and emotionally engaging experiences, transforming a brand and building customer loyalty. A well-told story establishes a deep connection with the audience and stays with them longer than simple facts and figures. In a saturated market, storytelling allows you to stand out from the competition by highlighting the values and personality of your brand in a unique and authentic way. Use proven narrative structures like the “Hero’s Journey,” a powerful tool for mastering this essential skill.

The network is what will (or not) make a big part of your career. The internship must be the solid foundation of the premises of your relationships of tomorrow. Openness to others is essential to: learn, start adding to your address book, be on the lookout for opportunities... What's more in the creative strategy, the meetings will allow you to enrich your imagination, your creative visions and your inspirations.

Time management is an essential skill for success in any internship, especially in creative strategy where deadlines are often tight and the workload can be unpredictable. It hasn't aged a bit, here is the famous Eisenhower Method! It is an effective matrix for prioritizing your tasks based on their urgency and importance. By categorizing your daily activities into four quadrants (Urgent and important, Important but not urgent, Urgent but not important, and Neither urgent nor important), you can clarify your priorities and focus your efforts on what is truly crucial. This structured approach helps manage time and resources more effectively, reducing the stress of tight deadlines and unpredictable workload in creative strategy.

Feedback is the compass of growth, especially for an intern striving for excellence. Welcoming feedback, whether gentle or spicy, is crucial to polishing your approach and improving. Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the feedback process by providing precise and detailed analyzes of individual performance. Platforms like Betterworks use AI to detect trends and patterns in comments, eliminating unconscious bias. Honest feedback is real feedback!

Go back to your documents and presentations. This is a great way to see how much you're advancing in the craft of being clear, concise and impactful on your storytelling.