We didn’t really set out to do a portfolio management “week”. It just… happened.

But looking back, the pieces came together, almost like a portfolio themselves, loosely connected, each adding something the others didn’t. Three different sessions. Three perspectives. And if there’s a theme, maybe it’s this: portfolio management isn’t just complicated – it’s personal. And political. And often, strangely invisible until it’s not.

Let’s walk it through.

First up: Conference Spotlight: Steve Jenner’s “I Come to Praise PMOs…”

Praise PMOs - The Keynote on Portfolio ManagementThe title was provocative enough “I Come to Praise PMOs, Not to Bury Them” and, well, Steve didn’t disappoint.

It wasn’t just another keynote. It was a bit of a reset, actually. A reminder that portfolio management isn’t just about frameworks or funding models. It’s about choices. Consequences. Trade-offs. And PMOs? We’re the ones often holding that complexity together, even if nobody writes it in the job description.

Steve pushed some buttons. In a good way. He challenged assumptions, especially around governance and agility – why we treat them like enemies when they could be allies. There were moments when people nodded a bit too hard.

If you were in the room, you’ll know what I mean.
If you weren’t – well, you missed a good one. But members can still catch the session inside.

>> Watch the session today

PMO HotHouse: Portfolio Management Frameworks, Flexibility, and the Real World

PMO HotHouse - Portfolio Management ChatNext up, we welcomed Steve back for a PMO HotHouse session. This session dug into the frameworks PMOs turn to (MoP, P3O, and beyond), and what happens when the textbook meets the messiness of real-life delivery.

It was candid. It was practical. It covered:

  • Why frameworks are just the start—not the whole solution
  • How PMOs balance agility, compliance, and control
  • The shift from “doing things right” to “doing the right things”
  • The new publication – Managing Portfolios

👉 Members can access the full HotHouse video, plus slides and takeaways, in the resource library.

 

Managing Portfolios - The Book from Steve Jenner

New Whitepaper: From Strategy to Delivery – The PMO’s Role in Portfolio Management

To round off the week, we launched our latest whitepaper – capturing insights from PMO leaders across sectors who are redefining how portfolio management actually works.

Inside, you’ll find:

  • How PMOs are using resource-first thinking to make better delivery decisions
  • Why the project/BAU boundary is more blurred than ever
  • What it means to be a governance broker in today’s agile-heavy environments
  • Tips for portfolio rationalisation without setting off alarm bells

It’s packed with ideas, hard-won lessons, and practical tools you can apply straight away.

>> Download the Strategic Portfolio Management: Connecting Strategy to Delivery Through the PMO whitepaper
(Access free for House of PMO members)

The PMO's Role in Portfolio Management

A Peek Inside the New Portfolio Management Whitepaper

Strategic Portfolio Management Whitepaper Strategic Portfolio Management: Connecting Strategy to Delivery Through the PMO

 

And if you’re not a House of PMO member…

This week was a snapshot of what we try to do at House of PMO. Honest conversations. Practical insights. Stuff you can actually use.

If you’re not yet a member, maybe take this as your sign. You’ll get:

  • Access to full recordings and resources
  • Invitations to live events (like the HotHouse sessions)
  • Tools, templates, and a community that gets it

It’s not just another membership. It’s a way to stay in the conversation – and to keep pushing our profession forward, one tricky decision at a time.

👉 Join the House of PMO

No hard sell. Just an open door.

House of PMO Membership