It is that time of the year where we reflect on what we are thankful for. Thanksgiving comes and goes, but in my opinion, every organization can count on their Program Management Office (PMO) to get it done. I think all organizations need to be thankful for their PMO. Whether your PMO is made of a single project manager or a large team of professionals, PMO’s make it happen, all the time.
Here is why:
#1: They Keep Your Turkeys in a Row
Infer what you may with what or who the turkey is, but the reality is that your PMO keeps your projects, applications, and resources on track. They ensure things are working and keep things moving along, progressing, to the desired end result. They help ensure your initiatives are aligned and well organized to the company’s goals.
#2: Everyday is Black Friday or Cyber Monday
Many of us look for opportunities to save large amounts of money or time on our shopping only once or twice a year. Your PMO is constantly looking for ways to save your organization money and be more efficient with your resources and budget. PMOs always keep resource utilization top of mind – going through the analysis and decision making to ensure your team members are firing on all cylinders.
#3: They Keep the Family Full
While most of us worry about having the right amount of food to feed our feisty families, PMOs are consistently thinking about how they can fulfill the needs of their organization. Whether it is keeping their executives at bay with the right reports and information or it is providing their teams with the project details to stay on-track for completing their milestones, PMOs are in the business of keeping their organizations full of the right information to improve.
#4 They Balance the Needs of All of Their Guests
On Thanksgiving Day, you may have many balancing acts that you need to account for – that relative who refuses to eat turkey, that niece who is allergic to stuffing, or that in-law who hates your cooking. Much like you, PMOs are always balancing the needs of the organization. On one side they need to roll up reports and data for key initiatives to the management team and on the other side they are working on better executing projects with the team. In addition to these day-to-day activities, they have to balance the competing needs from different business units and stakeholders. However, in the end they always make it work. The organization gets what it needs and the individuals are happy with the oversight and direction they get from the PMO.
#5: They Are Making a List….and Checking It Twice
Many of us are starting to think about holiday plans for December, and we are checking that list twice to make sure we do not forget something – whatever that may be – travel tickets, a sitter for the family pet, or a shopping list for the kids. Much like you, PMOs are planning for next year, forecasting the resource capacity they have to take on new work, determining the incoming request of new work, and most importantly, prioritizing the projects to ensure they are providing maximum value back to the organization.
Have a Happy Holiday Season!
