Non-Events, Values and Big Governance / PMO HotHouse January 2025

As January finally comes to a close, we kicked off the first PMO HotHouse session of the year, streaming live across YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook, the session brought together PMO professionals from around the world, eager to discuss the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in the industry. With a lively and interactive format, engaging discussions and audience participation whether you joined us live or are catching up now, this session was all about setting the stage for a productive year in PMO, sharing insights, and fostering a sense of community among practitioners. Here’s a recap of the key takeaways and discussions that unfolded.

Full Session

The Latest News

John discussed the recent acquisition of the Agile Alliance by PMI, which he believes may have caused some to question the relevance of Agile in the current corporate environment. He also mentioned the upcoming release of new PMO guidance, which is expected to be published on February 4th. The new guidance will include a “flywheel” concept, an evolution of the previous “value ring” concept. John expressed his anticipation for the new guidance, but also noted that it may not represent a significant paradigm shift.

>> You can find out more information about the new PMO guidance here.

John discussed the potential benefits of digital transformation on green innovation, suggesting that companies embarking on digital transformations may improve sustainability and environmental friendliness. He also highlighted the importance of green management disclosure, stating that organisations which publish their sustainability goals and measures see a stronger correlation between digital transformation and green innovation. Lastly, John shared an essay from the Journal of Management Learning, advocating for the incorporation of non-events, interruptions, and pauses into business education, as these gaps can be valuable for decision-making and reflection.

The two papers that John highlighted can be found here:

• Digital Transformation and Green Innovation: The Mediating Role of Green Management Disclosure and the Moderating Role of Institutional Environment [Link]
• “What’s next? (Un)learning nothingness and non-events in management education” [Link]

Out and About

Eileen discussed the evolution of Project Management Offices (PMOs) as a business function, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to strategy execution. She highlighted the challenges organizations face in aligning strategic planning with execution and the importance of considering both change and business-as-usual portfolios. Eileen also mentioned the development of a report and a webinar to further explore these ideas. She then introduced the Impact Engine System, a training course to be held at the PMO Conference, and expressed interest in collaborating with Laura to provide more benefits to members.

What’s Going On?!

Lindsay discussed the importance of values in PMOs and shared the House of PMO values of Heart | Opportunity | Unity | Support | Energy.  Lindsay encouraged others to consider their own organisation’s values and how they align with their PMO. Lindsay discussed the importance of values in their work, suggesting that teams could benefit from creating their own values.

News was shared about the events strategy at the House of PMO with Lindsay revealing plans to organise more in-person events in various locations, including the South Coast, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, London, Liverpool, and Leeds. The aim is to unite people around specific themes or industries, such as the upcoming “Blue Light” event for those working in the public sector. Lindsay encouraged anyone  to provide feedback and suggestions for future events.

Addressing Project Management Challenges

Also check out the full session where we introduced Karen, who shared her experiences with accidental project managers at the NHS Leeds Teaching Hospital.

Karen discussed the challenges faced at Leeds due to the appointment of unsuitably experienced project managers, leading to issues with IT procurement and project management. She mentioned that they have since developed a support pack for these affiliated project managers, which has been trialed with positive results. Aliza, a programme manager, further elaborated on the problem and the development of the support pack, emphasising the importance of a consistent approach to project management. The team also discussed their 7-step project management process and the triage process they use to manage requests.

Catch it at the 30.25 minute mark on the full session.