I think it really depends on the style and mindset of each PMO leader. Some are more comfortable staying in their offices, focused on governance structures, processes, and KPIs, OKR's, budgets, resources allocation, people management... which, to be fair, are important parts of the role. Others prefer a more hands-on approach, staying close to delivery teams and project realities.
When I served as a Head of PMO / PMO Director, I always tried to make time to manage short-term projects or programs myself. That helped me stay connected to what was happening on the ground and better understand the challenges our project managers were facing. It wasn’t always easy to balance, but it gave me perspective and made the governance we developed more practical and aligned with real needs.
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1 reply by Luis Branco
Jun 03, 2025 12:07 PM
Luis Branco
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Thank you for such a thoughtful and balanced reflection.
You're absolutely right — governance, budgeting, KPIs, OKRs, and resource planning are core responsibilities of a PMO leader. But what you did — managing short-term projects to stay grounded — is a rare but powerful leadership move.
It’s not about rejecting structure — it’s about grounding it in lived reality.
When governance is built with proximity, it becomes adaptive, credible, and respected — not just enforced.
In my view, the most effective PMO leaders are the ones who periodically trade the “balcony view” for the “boots-on-the-ground” experience — not to micromanage, but to recalibrate.
Do you think this “hybrid stance” should be intentionally embedded into PMO design itself — not just left to personal leadership style?
Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Jun 03, 2025 11:13 AM
Replying to Mayte Mata Sivera
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I think it really depends on the style and mindset of each PMO leader. Some are more comfortable staying in their offices, focused on governance structures, processes, and KPIs, OKR's, budgets, resources allocation, people management... which, to be fair, are important parts of the role. Others prefer a more hands-on approach, staying close to delivery teams and project realities.
When I served as a Head of PMO / PMO Director, I always tried to make time to manage short-term projects or programs myself. That helped me stay connected to what was happening on the ground and better understand the challenges our project managers were facing. It wasn’t always easy to balance, but it gave me perspective and made the governance we developed more practical and aligned with real needs.
Thank you for such a thoughtful and balanced reflection.
You're absolutely right — governance, budgeting, KPIs, OKRs, and resource planning are core responsibilities of a PMO leader. But what you did — managing short-term projects to stay grounded — is a rare but powerful leadership move.
It’s not about rejecting structure — it’s about grounding it in lived reality.
When governance is built with proximity, it becomes adaptive, credible, and respected — not just enforced.
In my view, the most effective PMO leaders are the ones who periodically trade the “balcony view” for the “boots-on-the-ground” experience — not to micromanage, but to recalibrate.
Do you think this “hybrid stance” should be intentionally embedded into PMO design itself — not just left to personal leadership style?
A lot depends on the type of PMO. If it is a delivery-focused one where the staff are PMs for the department or organization's key projects, there is less likely to be an ignorance of the real costs of excessive governance. On the other hand, if it is purely a governance body with no reporting responsibility to lines of business who pay the costs of project work, then there can be a significant disconnect.
Ideally, the PMO staff have a grounding in operational excellence principles so they consider such things as waste, the voice of the customer, and the flow of value when designing or modifying their controls.
Kiron
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1 reply by Luis Branco
Jun 05, 2025 10:40 AM
Luis Branco
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Dear Kiron Bondale Thank you for the thoughtful response.
You're absolutely right — the nature of the PMO makes a significant difference.
When the PMO is embedded in delivery, the distance between governance and execution naturally shrinks, often leading to more pragmatic and value-aligned controls.
However, I’ve observed that even delivery-oriented PMOs can drift if they adopt a “compliance-first” mindset rather than a “value-first” one.
That’s why your mention of operational excellence, waste reduction, and flow of value is so critical.
Grounding governance in principles like Lean thinking or the voice of the customer doesn’t just improve efficiency — it reinforces legitimacy.
Rules created by those who know the ground resonate differently — they’re trusted, not just followed.
At the end of the day, regardless of structure, perhaps the real question is:
Does the PMO walk the floor enough to still feel the heartbeat of delivery?
Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Jun 03, 2025 3:21 PM
Replying to Kiron Bondale
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Luis -
A lot depends on the type of PMO. If it is a delivery-focused one where the staff are PMs for the department or organization's key projects, there is less likely to be an ignorance of the real costs of excessive governance. On the other hand, if it is purely a governance body with no reporting responsibility to lines of business who pay the costs of project work, then there can be a significant disconnect.
Ideally, the PMO staff have a grounding in operational excellence principles so they consider such things as waste, the voice of the customer, and the flow of value when designing or modifying their controls.
Kiron
Dear Kiron Bondale Thank you for the thoughtful response.
You're absolutely right — the nature of the PMO makes a significant difference.
When the PMO is embedded in delivery, the distance between governance and execution naturally shrinks, often leading to more pragmatic and value-aligned controls.
However, I’ve observed that even delivery-oriented PMOs can drift if they adopt a “compliance-first” mindset rather than a “value-first” one.
That’s why your mention of operational excellence, waste reduction, and flow of value is so critical.
Grounding governance in principles like Lean thinking or the voice of the customer doesn’t just improve efficiency — it reinforces legitimacy.
Rules created by those who know the ground resonate differently — they’re trusted, not just followed.
At the end of the day, regardless of structure, perhaps the real question is:
Does the PMO walk the floor enough to still feel the heartbeat of delivery?
