Project Management

It All Starts With Strategic Clarity, Say Symposium Speakers

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Every project or program should express an organization’s strategy. It’s a fundamental truth, yet many executives misunderstand strategy, or fail to communicate it throughout the organization, said author Michael E. Porter, PhD, a keynoter at PMO Symposium 2014.

A strategy is distinct from a mission statement or goals; it defines an organization’s competitive edge, he explained.

“You aren’t competing to be the best. You’re competing to be unique. That’s where, ultimately, sustainable advantage comes from,” Dr. Porter said. “Every good strategy has a unique value proposition for the customer that you’re seeking to serve.”

Project portfolio choices are all about strategy in action — allocating the organization’s resources to achieve a distinct competitive position. And when project and program managers crystallize the connection between strategy and the portfolio, it has “a big impact on the ultimate power of whatever it is that you’re running,” he said.

So if the strategy is opaque, project practitioners must seek clarity. “If we don’t have a clear sense of the overall strategy, then it’s hard to connect a project or a program to what’s going on in the overall organization,” Dr. Porter said.

To maximize their value and deliver meaningful results, project and program practitioners must keep the big picture front and center.

“We talk all the time about project managers and program managers. But what organizations are really saying is that they want project leaders and program leaders,” said Mark A. Langley, PMI president and CEO. “Don’t just be a PMO manager — be a PMO leader.”

Closing keynote speaker Jason Young, author of The Culturetopia Effect, encouraged attendees to be servant leaders who foster an ideal work culture of high fulfillment and high performance.

“Our job is to get out of the way so people can do their best work,” Mr. Young said. “We want to create opportunities to help people inspire each other.”

He outlined six leadership best practices that drive high performance:

  1. Clearly define expectations
  2. Provide tools and training to ensure success
  3. Get people to use their talents and strengths
  4. Give frequent recognition and praise
  5. Show care and concern for all employees
  6. Encourage continuous learning and development

Symposium wasn’t all keynote speeches, though. Attendees also saw project and program management in action at local hotspots, including Marlins Park, Port of Miami and Jungle Island.

Feeling like you missed something? PMO Symposium 2015 will be 8-11 November in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Put it on your calendar today.


Posted by cyndee miller on: November 21, 2014 11:56 AM | Permalink

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Kevin Coleman Subject Matter Expert, Author, Speaker and Strategic Advisor| - Insights Pa, United States
Interesting view on the subject

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