Setting goals for PMO teams

It's a curious thing. PMO people are veritably good at measuring systems with a combination of leading ( logged pitfalls, task completion, Earned Value) and lagging ( benefits consummation) pointers. But they struggle when it comes to measuring the PMO itself.

This may not be so surprising when we consider the variety of PMOs that live. When it comes to thing setting for PMO Brigades, it's important to take Simon Sinek’s advice and‘ Start with Why’

.When setting for PMO Brigades, start with 'Why'. Success starts with understanding why we do what we do, also brings clarity on how we do it, which leads to What we do being aligned to our strategy.

Start with Why

Simon Sinek’s talk‘ Start with Why Explores how entrepreneurs frequently pitch poorly because they start their pitch with what they do, rather than WHY they do it. This can be with PMO thing setting. We jump straight to WHAT people want to measure, and what we're suitable to measure. But frequently we realize too late that they aren't measuring what matters.

This we ’d like to start, not with the WHAT, but with the WHY. Like enlightened Entrepreneurs, once we've the clarity of purpose and understand WHY our PMO exists and what pretensions it should be shooting for. Also we can start to be clear on HOW the PMO achieves those pretensions whilst putting in place the structure blocks for success. All of which leads to WHAT we actually do in our day-to- day PMO operation to support systems and the association.

When it comes to setting PMO pretensions, it's important that they're aligned with the pretensions of the business. This alignment needs to be perpendicular – from the top of the business to the bottom, and back again. But it also needs to align horizontally. The Pretensions of the PMO need to align with the pretensions of other departments and silos so that everyone can unite to concertedly move the association forwards. It's a lack of vertical alignment that so frequently leads to unproductive internal competition and division.

The pretensions we set need to be business- concentrated. Project criteria may work well for systems, but enterprise- position PMOs aren't systems – they're permanent brigades. The pretensions need to be business- concentrated, as do the criteria. It's a harsh reality that no matter how important time you spend learning Planned Value (PV), Earned Value (EV) and Factual Cost (AC) computations for your PMO test, the business does n’t really watch them. They want to see business criteria, and they want to understand how your platoon will be driving the business to achieve its objectives and vision.

Children brushing,' Let me tell you a secret: Nothing in the business cases about your PMO Metrics'. Children laugh. OKRs for thing setting

In the donation for PMOFlashmob, we introduced the OKR system for setting. Developed by Andy Grove at Intel, the OKR system has been espoused by silicon valley startups and tech titans similar to Google.

With OKRs, there are two element corridors to everything. An Objective statement that's inspirational and easily articulates the trip we're on. And 3-5 Crucial Results, the effects we will measure to see how far we've got on our trip.

I've spoken about the OKR process away on this point. There’s a companion over in our Operation Models depository that contains real PMO OKR exemplifications. And there's a composition each about a trip of discovery through OKRs that starts with Japan bidding to host the 2020 Olympic games (I wonder if Coved was on their threat log?)

OKRs are Progress Driven

The OKR model allows us to define stretching pretensions for the PMO that are progress- driven. By making our pretensions stretching, we come more transparent with the rest of the association. We set ourselves bold pretensions that speak easily about the direction we're taking the PMO in. Likewise, we're honest about how stretching they're and that we may not succeed.1254 PM

Andy Grove at Intel noted that objects should be set at a point high enough so that indeed if an individual pushes himself hard, they would still only have a 50-50 chance of making them. But by setting pretensions that are progress- driven, rather than corner driven, also indeed if we do n’t achieve our ambitious stretching thing, we can be confident that we will still have criteria to show just how far we've come. This is what nonstop enhancement looks like. By setting progress- driven pretensions for itself, the PMO is playing a pivotal part in incrementally perfecting the association as a whole. Small ways, big issues. Leadership with OKRs Defining and publishing your PMO pretensions is a great first step, but do n’t stop there. With your PMO OKRs in place, it's time to waterfall these. Encourage everyone in the platoon to define their own OKRs. It's important that they define the OKRs themselves, as let’s face it, you're more likely to buy-in and commit to achieving a thing if you have created it yourself.

Challenge your platoon to make their OKRs stretch and bold. But in doing so, help them understand that they won't be penalized for not achieving 100. When taking pitfalls, it needs to be safe to fail. When you challenge individualities to define their own OKRs amazing effects be. You start to see their unique perspectives evolve, and you start to see fresh perspectives on how the PMO can support delivery. Some of these ideas may indeed make you go back and reevaluate the OKRs you have set at the platoon position! This kind of commission sparks the natural provocation within people and encourages them to play to their strengths.

Of course individualities in your platoon don't define their OKRs in a bubble, they should stick to the same rules as you have done – and be confident in explaining how their OKRs are vertically and horizontally aligned with the pretensions of the PMO, the business and their peers. By casting particular OKRs that are progress- driven, it gives you and your platoon a great base for regular one-to-one sessions as you review streamlined OKR scores and look for ways of‘ turning the dials on OKRs together.

Learn with PMO Flashmob

You can find a videotape of the talk over at the PMOFlashmob point, along with their depository of former addresses and publications. If you get the occasion to join one of their live events also you surely should. They're a great community of PMO people from multiple sectors and at all career situations.