Exploit Crisis for Targeted PMO Improvements 2

 

OK, the last post was a cliff-hanger. You are in the middle of a crisis! But it is an opportunity to add a new PMO responsibility - as long as you are careful.

Recall that the problem is that uncontrolled projects are heading to tollgates at a similar time causing conflicts with resources and schedules. Your immature PMO does not currently control tollgate scheduling.

Use these tactics to seize this opportunity:

Create the rules and steps to resolve immediate problems only. For example, if many tollgates are scheduled around the same time in the near future, the PMO should not try to boil the ocean by putting in place a tollgate schedule and process for the rest of the year. Instead, the solution should be resolving the immediate backlog with the participation of stakeholders and leaders.

Specifically, get agreement from stakeholders on ways to prioritize projects and ideas for acceptable scheduling strategies. Use these agreements and ideas to create your plan to resolve the immediate problem.

Socialize and seek approval for plan, but, because the problem is immediate and you want show that you are responsive, assume you will get approval and start to implement the solution right away. The PMO can prioritize and create a tollgate schedule consistent with the plan, making adjustments as feedback warrants.

Once the PMO has approval to implement some prioritizing and scheduling solution, execute to the plan. Remember to document how it works and how it can be improved.

As soon as the backlog of tollgates has been dealt with and the previous frustrations are still fresh in the minds of stakeholders and leaders, it will be the perfect time to suggest that the PMO continue to manage tollgate schedules "so we don't have to go through that again." And guess what, you just happen to have a process agreed to by stakeholders previously, with some improvements based on learnings from actually following the "pilot" version of the process. You also showed that you were responsive to the needs for projects to maintain progress.

That's the way to build trust and responsibility during a crisis. If your PMO typically acts only as a source of best practices, there are numerous situations where you can use the same tactics to build areas of responsibility. You just need to identify an appropriate crisis or conflict point and be ready to react. You probably already know the pain points. Have solutions standing by and be ready to swoop in for a fast resolution to build respect for your capabilities.