What Does It Take to Succeed? 

This article is the third part in a series focused on What It Takes to Succeed based on the feedback of PMO Leaders (see the September issue for the earlier article) about PMO benefits.  It’s well-known that a PMO can provide positive results in such areas as budget analysis and forecast, coordinated resource management, scope management, change control, issue management, risk management, quality management and continuous improvement.  With that in mind, the leaders shared their thoughts about how others in their company viewed the PMO – is it seen as a necessity or overhead.  

• Wow, that is a loaded question! I think most of the people in the company see the value a PMO provides. However, senior management and Finance tend to look at PMOs only through the cost lens, rather than the benefits or value they deliver. Kristopher Sprague, MBA, PgMP, PMP, PMI-RMP, CSSBB, DTM, Site Director – Strategy, PMO and Operational Excellence, Bristol-Myers Squibb
• The re-established Agile PMO is viewed as an important partner in connecting the strategy with the execution.  It is important that we never lose the sight of what brings value to the individuals, teams and the whole organization. We adhere to a lightweight process that enables us to be nimble and move fast. Frequently, we reflect on the process and evaluate what is still needed, what can be retired and what we might need to introduce based on the needs of the organization. Whatever we do we always ask “will it bring value”, “who is an audience for this”, and “will it help remove waste from the process”. As long as we stay true to this concept we are seen as a valued partner whether at the team level or at an executive level. Ewa Erickson, ACP, CSM, Director – Portfolio Management Office, StubHub
• It is an evolving process. Some people or teams see PMO as a necessary part; others don’t. More people work with PMO better when they understand and appreciate PMO’s role and value. Usually the biggest resistance is in the beginning of PMO’s existence. Olga Milne, Senior Vice President – Head of PMO, AxiomSL
• Other businesses recognize that PMO is necessary and we’ve certainly demonstrated the value. And the pain points that the organization experience prior to not having a PMO. Kevin Ruthen, Head of Software, Applications, and PMO, American Institute of Physics Publishing
• If you look at the cash flow I think PMO falls as a corporate expense. But it is how we “sell” ourselves:  how we prove our value is to report out on how well the investments are made. What is the ROI? Are we investing enough in the areas that are needed? Are we in line with company’s strategies of 1 year, 5 years? With data that we provide we show how we are doing on a project or a program. How we measure them, how we show traceability. Kiran Adibhatla, Director – Business Technology PMO, SunPower Corporation
• They certainly see that PMO is required. If they don’t have a project manager, they are going to have to hire a project manager. Which tells you that they have a need for a project manager. So, the organizations see PMO as part of organizational business. Otherwise they won’ be successful. It becomes how well the PMO is run and how well the PMO leader can communicate out to change the perception out to a partner from administrative head. Krishna Mullangi, Sr. Director – Head of PMO, Technology Governance, Western Union
• I think what you’ll see in many areas. In a small group like ours with 15 people you have top down support. And like any organization. Some people are more process oriented, do documentation, can appreciate the value. So, I think from that perspective from top/down there is value. Edward J. McCloskey, VP – Project Management, TAI (Tindall Associates)
• In our organization, our PMO is part of IT. However, the types of implementations that we run are both business and IT. In fact, you can't stand up a whole line of business for the organization unless you manage for that business expect of the organization. Ultimately they see us as part of the business because we are very much embedded in the business. You can't start up a new part of an organization unless you understand what the business wants. They see us as part of the business. But it took a lot of work. Initially when I came into this company there was a perception of “oh here comes the PMO lady, hold on here comes the process.” Jenny Burg, PMP, MCP, MCTS, Director – Program Management, Government Business Division, Anthem

In my personal experience from working in companies with less than 1,000 employees to a conglomerate of over 100,000 employees, others from various departments their BU leaders and executives expressed the need and the gratitude of having projects completed with the help of PMO.  Not too long ago one technical architect said to me “Igor – you are doing an enormous amount of work here. I don’t know how you keep track of 100s and 100s of projects and all the things surrounding them? I wouldn’t be able to do that. With my other clients, they have many more people doing the work that you do and that’s per project. I really appreciate your hard work.”  I respected, and still do, him greatly. He is one of the finest technicians that I have ever dealt with. Somehow that recognition, that praise, more than any other thank you or CIO achievement awards that I gotten before, touched me. It touched me so much that it brought tears into my eyes. Technically, no pun intended, he was right.  Because of budget constraints, I was doing the job of a portfolio manager, project manager, and many other roles. As PMO leaders or project managers the buck stops with us. And we must do anything and everything to finish the job.

In my current position, I was brought in by a CIO to start up a PMO from scratch. He said that he saw the need to bring project management methodologies, processes and standards into this organization – he wanted the PMO in place quickly before anything went awry. Others in the organization saw the value of projects now being aligned to strategic initiatives, work, issues, dependencies tracked and resolved more efficiently and effectively. Communication was flowing from the folks who were doing their jobs all the way to executive levels. Informed decisions were being made based on PMO dashboards.

In the January installment of this series I will share what it takes to run and create PMO based on experience of contributing PMO leaders and my own experience.  Until then, enjoy the rest of the year and the holidays with your family and friends. Stay happy and healthy. Reach for the stars and keep learning something new every day. When you learn something don't forget to take action on it because it is when you take action on knowledge that's where fruition comes.

If you have a suggestion for a future topic or want to share your own success story, then contact Igor at