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…”
The 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.
PMO HotHouse: Portfolio Management Frameworks, Flexibility, and the Real World
Next 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.
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)
A Peek Inside the New Portfolio Management Whitepaper
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.
No hard sell. Just an open door.
