Blogging from the PMO Symposium: Ending on an Up Note

November 6, 2019 | by Matt Crawford

Speaking of asking the right questions, in the session entitled “How PMOs can enable business & organizational agility," Joanna Vahlsing from Centro, began by posing the question of what fears we have about moving to a more agile organization.  Some of the audience responses were:

• Lack of timeliness
• Lack of trust
• Lack of dedicated resources
• Agile is only for IT

She discussed how the PMO can be a change agent for the organization to become more agile because the PMO knows the business as well as anyone and has relationships with key stakeholders, which can help facilitate change if the PMO is open to shifting mindsets (there's that word again!). Among the shifts necessary, and which the PMO can facilitate, she listed the following:

• From a project-based approach → a product-based approach
• Fromviewing as budget → viewing as investment
• From project manager being responsible → team being responsible
• From building the thing right → building the right thing
• From features → goals and outcomes
• From delivering single full-scale deliverable → prototypes
• From performance measured on delivery to a spec → performance measured based on input and outcome
• From managing individuals → managing teams
• From command and control → coaching and facilitating

These roles align with what PM Solutions Research has found in our studies about strategy execution, the PMO, and agile/adaptive organizations. It was rewarding to hear our findings underscored in this workshop session.

And Now for Something A Little Different ...

The closing session was an interactive leadership activity, "The Music Paradigm," led by Maestro Roger Nierenberg, an author and conductor.  We, as the audience, sat in the midst of an orchestra (!) while the Maestro led us through a series of leadership learning experiences which applied to both the orchestra and business leadership.  What a creative and perspective-shifting way to get people to think about their roles! As a member of the orchestra, I experienced:

• Perspective of hearing/seeing from a chair in the audience (team members) vs. perspective of seeing/hearing from Maestro’s podium (leadership).  This underscored the importance of understanding the perspective of those you’re communicating with.
• Every chair has a blind spot.  From the podium there are no blind spots ... which is a blind spot in and of itself.
• Understanding leadership and executive perspective can help everyone understand and focus on the big picture; which is leadership’s job to communicate effectively
• During change and chaos, it’s important to listen
• Orchestra sections (teams) get constant data from each other and collaborate to create by listening and working together.  The Maestro (Leadership) can encourage or stifle this through style.
• Groups have incredible ability to collaborate and need minimal intervention, which is only necessary when time to change things
• Timing is important!

It's been a full four days. I hope to continue many of the conversations I've had with interesting people doing important work in all kinds of organizations. Drop me a line!

About the Author

Matt Crawford

As Director of Business Development for PM Solutions, Matt Crawford possesses over 15 years of experience with the organization. Matt specializes in securing and managing multi-million dollar client relationships and engagements with Fortune 1000 companies within the United States and abroad across multiple industries.

View Posts by Matt Crawford

Matt Crawford

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