Organizations may have a project management office (PMO) that oversees the standardization of procedures and practices for the creation of new products or services. PMOs may have executive leaders to ensure that a company gains value from their tasks and efforts and to communicate with managers and shareholders about the methods and operations of a project. Understanding what these leaders do can help you identify if you’re qualified for the role. In this article, we review what a PMO leader is and discuss nine traits that these professionals may possess.
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Who is a PMO leader?
A PMO leader, also called a project management office leader, is a professional responsible for the success of a company’s PMO, a group within an organization that handles the organization and procedures of its projects. They can oversee the prioritization of projects according to business objectives, organize projects into a portfolio, and develop governance processes.
Rather than managing other team members or their colleagues, PMO leaders direct the strategic processes that their company uses in order to make them as effective and repeatable as possible. These professionals help streamline and standardize an organization’s techniques and methods for project execution. They may also be responsible for helping their employer mitigate risk while addressing various project-related challenges. Some of their professional duties may include:
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Facilitating team building and group collaboration
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Providing feedback and coaching PMO members
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Listening to others’ input and ideas
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Helping teams confront challenges and performing conflict management
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Making strategic and data-based decisions
9 PMO leader traits
Although they can differ depending on their employers’ project requirements and the size of their staff, PMO leaders may benefit from possessing some of the same characteristics. Here’s a list of nine PMO leader traits:
1. Consistent and reliable
Strong PMO leaders may have a variety of consistent and reliable practices that they use to execute a variety of projects across their company or department. This can include ensuring that project managers all hold an organization’s tasks to the same quality standards. PMO leaders can also help their teams recognize and eliminate any redundancies or unnecessary steps in project procedures to ensure that they’re all succinct and efficient.
2. Honest and transparent
Establishing honest and transparent communication can be an important aspect of a PMO leader’s role. They typically have access to the progression, budget, and success of specific projects, and it’s their responsibility to share these insights with the rest of their team. This can also provide them with adequate information in order to determine which project receives particular resources and share resource information with project managers and other stakeholders.
3. Adaptable
Their role may require PMO leaders to adapt to new or dynamic project constraints, elements, and guidelines. These professionals can influence projects and portfolios through the implementation of organizational structures. This means remaining flexible and willing to adapt these processes can help project teams accommodate changes in the contents or delivery style of their work. If technical staff recognize mistakes or errors in the execution of a project, a PMO leader may be responsible for adapting their strategic approach to address new challenges.
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4. Communicative
PMO leaders can create and maintain open communication between supervisors and managers, technical team members, and project executives. Strong written and verbal communication skills also allow them to offer clear reports to a variety of project stakeholders. These capabilities can ensure that PMO leaders keep everyone informed about the project’s timeline, progress, and any changes that may occur. These professionals oversee and monitor the status and success of a project, and may report their findings to other executives, project managers, and staff. This means that written and verbal communication can play an integral part in their role.
5. Critical thinker and problem-solver
Challenges may arise in the planning, execution, or delivery of a project, so PMO leaders may benefit from being critical thinkers with keen problem-solving skills. Regardless of a project’s size or complexity, an effective leader may be able to identify the source of the issue and develop strategies to address and resolve the complications. These professionals may make crucial decisions about the organizational structures and processes involved in creating innovative products. This means that being able to think critically and analytically may help them perform their job duties effectively.
6. Organized
PMO groups are typically responsible for the scheduling and budgeting procedures of an organization’s projects, making it important for their leaders to be organized and able to manage a variety of deadlines. They’re able to delegate and prioritize professional tasks and ensure that the correct resources go to the appropriate projects. PMO leaders may also support senior managers when presenting statistics, data, or other resources to stakeholders and executives. This means that their role may require them to easily locate and organize project-related information.
7. Proactive
PMO leaders oversee accounts and projects for an organization, making it important that they remain engaged and proactive in order to foresee and address any partial challenges or growth opportunities. They may also be the first to take on crucial PMO tasks, including centralizing information into a scalable format or using innovative methods for standardizing processes. Being proactive in this role may also include gathering all project planning and information in order to initiate its organization and completion.
8. Data-driven
Leading with data and substantial results can influence a project’s stakeholders, encouraging them to value the opinions and information that PMO leaders provide. Data can allow professionals to prepare the key performance indicators that help their PMO group deliver well-informed strategic objectives. Key performance indicators (KPIs) may include financials and budgeting, resource use and allocation, and risk management. These professionals may establish which performance metrics are most important, and create structures for project management that focus on these KPIs.
9. Enthusiastic
Good PMO leaders typically care about their role and feel enthusiastic about effective project management. Their passion for their work may help them commit to understanding how to deliver consistent and high-quality results, which can benefit the organization overall. In addition to their technical skills and extensive business knowledge, this role may require perseverance and dedication to be a motivating and effective leader.
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