PPP 436 | Breaking the PMO Failure Cycle: Strategies to Thrive, with Laura Barnard

Summary

In this episode, Andy interviews Laura Barnard about her book, The Impact Engine: Accelerating Strategy Delivery for PMO and Transformation Leaders. They discuss Laura's journey in setting up PMOs, the common mistakes and resistance faced, and the importance of change management and mindset in driving success. Laura introduces the Impact Engine system, a framework she developed to help organizations deliver sustainable value. The conversation also covers how project managers can become strategy navigators and effectively communicate with stakeholders.

It's a fun, practical discussion that will help improve your ability to lead teams and deliver projects.

Sound Bites

• "People are not actually resistant to change. They are resistant to having change done to them."
• "A lot of what we teach first is that you have to shift the way you think about the work you do... and really become what we call the strategy navigator for the organization."
• "Give them what they want before you give them what they need"
• "It’s not just about the templates, tools, and process that you’re creating. It’s about the business problems you’re solving."
• "I wish I had me when I was you. I wish I had somebody who would say don’t do this, do this instead... I needed to help them so that they can have an easier path than I had."
• "Knowledge alone is not power. It’s the application of that knowledge where you make a real impact. If you do the work, you will see the results."

• 00:00 Introduction
• 02:00 Start of Interview
• 02:27 Laura's Journey in Building Her First PMO
• 04:40 Common Mistakes in Setting Up a PMO
• 09:29 The Impact Engine System
• 15:21 Myths About Change Management
• 20:50 Give Them What They Want, Not What They Need
• 27:57 Understanding Transparency and Impact
• 29:34 Measuring Success and Stakeholder Engagement
• 34:46 How Laura Seeks Continual Learning and Personal Growth
• 39:44 End of Interview
• 40:15 Andy Comments After the Interview
• 46:47 Outtakes

You can learn more about Laura and her book at IMPACTEngineBook.com.

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Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast!

Talent Triangle: Power Skills

Topics: Project Management, PMO, Change Management, Leadership, Business Transformation, Strategy Delivery, Continuous Learning, Organizational Change

The following music was used for this episode:

Music: Brooklyn Nights by Tim Kulig License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Chillhouse by Frank Schroeter License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license