It is good practice for organisations to regularly think strategically about where they want to be, what they want the organisation to look like, and how they need to go about getting there. Traditionally, this process happened on an annual basis and was largely integrated with the annual financial planning process.
An organisation’s Project Management Office (PMO) should play a vital role in delivering on the business’ strategy. However, gaining an understanding of this action plan – and the company’s maturity to execute its declared strategy – is a necessary first step in unlocking a PMO’s value. A clear view of stakeholders’ needs and expectations is also key to this process.
In a rapidly changing business world, the ability to adapt and apply new information is fast becoming more important than any other skill. It shouldn’t come as any surprise then, to hear that Project Management Offices (PMOs) have come under growing pressure from their organisations over the past few years to become more agile, strategic and value-adding; a point that has become further highlighted recently against the backdrop of the COVID-19 outbreak.
It’s common for organisations to launch complex and large-scale change transformation programmes yet, nearly 75 percent of these programme fail to improve business performance within the short or long-term. At the start of these transformation programmes, there is almost always tremendous pressure to get going as quickly as possible and this is where some of the first mistakes are made. Executive Sponsors are eager to get going to build trust that the investment is in good hands, whilst programme practitioners want to ensure that there is a solid foundation in place to execute the programme.
I was privileged to lead the discussion on what successful project management office (PMO) leaders and executives are doing to secure their seat at the strategy table at the recent Gauteng PMO forum. The forum is an invitation only interest group under the umbrella of Project Management South Africa (PMSA) that provides members with a regular opportunity … Continue reading “What PMO leaders and executives are doing to secure their seat at the strategy table”
