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PMO; a safe harbour

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 10:22:12 GMT

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A Safe Harbour for Work That Matters

Over the past few months on the Norfolk coast, and exploring the Broads, boats have been a constant part of my view — moored, passing, gliding by.

Back in Northamptonshire, there were no waves or tides, but we did have canals — another ecosystem with its own slower rhythm, narrowboats with their routines, and a way of life that seems to move at walking pace.

Soon we’ll be in Scotland, close to the wide Forth estuary — tidal, busy, and full of energy.

It’s a very different stretch of water to Norfolk’s quiet channels, and it’s had me thinking about how PMO also has to work differently depending on its setting.

The Harbour Picture

Picture a harbour at dawn.

Fishing boats head out early, ferries prepare for their first passengers, yachts wait for the right wind.

Each boat has a different job, a different pace, and each one is essential to the harbour’s purpose.

PMO works in the same way.

It runs through portfolio, programme, and project work, and each plays its part when set up for what’s needed.

Together, they keep delivery moving in the right direction.

The Three Ps: Portfolio, Programme, Project

Think of it like the harbour:

Portfolio PMO: The Harbour Master

Sets direction and decides which boats head out and when.

Programme PMO: The Ferries and Trawlers

Keeps the routes open, brings results back to port, and makes sure the harbour stays productive.

Project PMO: The Small Boats and Crew

Handles the day-to-day, checks the kit, keeps the logs, navigates the details, and gets close to the action.

Each one plays a role in keeping the harbour working as a whole.

Making It Work

A small boat doesn’t need a full crew.

A ferry doesn’t need a trawler’s nets.

A harbour doesn’t need a fleet pulling apart.

PMO is the same.

Project PMO supports delivery.

Programme PMO keeps routes clear.

Portfolio PMO sets direction.

The value doesn’t come from one level trying to be something it’s not —

but from each doing the work that matters.

Avoiding the Trap

Sometimes project-level PMO is dismissed as “just admin.”

Sometimes every PMO is pushed to look strategic, even when that isn’t what’s needed.

True PMO maturity isn’t about piling on process or having the flashiest title.

It’s about purpose — providing the right support, in the right place, at the right time.

A Safe Harbour for Work That Matters

A good harbour doesn’t just have big ships or shiny yachts.

It has the right mix of vessels, ready for the day’s work.

That is what PMO is for me:

a safe harbour for work that matters —

where strategy is shaped, programmes flow, and projects deliver with confidence.

From Canals to Coastlines

As we head north to Scotland, I know the boats will catch my eye again.

Whether it’s a canal, a harbour, or the open sea, the message stays the same:

PMO works best when ready for the journey ahead —

helping every boat play its part in work that truly matters.

Because when the harbour is well run, every boat gets where it needs to go.

That’s when the strategy moves forward, the programmes flow,

and the projects deliver without being swamped by the tide.

Wishing you safe travels in your own waterways

...and if you’re looking to steady your harbour or set a new course,

let’s talk.

Not light governance. Right governance.

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 15:51:36 GMT

Not light governance. Right governance.

If governance feels like a burden, it’s probably broken.

It shouldn’t be a tick-box exercise or a blocker.

Good governance brings confidence, clarity and calm.

It helps teams focus on what matters, surface problems early, and make better decisions.

It enables delivery.

It protects value.

It creates space for people to do their best work, not get buried in process.

It’s not about slowing things down.

It’s how we make sure the right things move forward.

A good PMO knows this.

It’s not the enemy of delivery; it’s your best friend

Resilience

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 15:50:08 GMT

Resilience

Justifying Every project with a Business Case

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 15:48:54 GMT

We expect every project to justify itself with a business case… but when did the PMO last write one?

We challenge delivery teams all the time:

�� What’s the benefit?

�� Is it worth the investment?

�� How will you measure success?

But the PMO? We quietly set up, get stuck in, and rarely ask the same questions of ourselves.

We know we’re valuable but have we ever taken the time to explain why, in the same language we ask of others?

If your PMO had to write a business case today… what would be in it?

PMO: Specific Industry Knowledge

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 15:44:00 GMT

Lately I’ve noticed a trend. More and more PMO roles are asking for specific industry knowledge.

It’s made me pause and think about what organisations are really looking for.

I’ve worked in higher education, financial services, insurance, the public sector, manufacturing and retail to name a few. Each sector has its quirks, but what a good PMO delivers is clarity, confidence and momentum.

A good PMO brings structure, insight and the right level of control to make things happen. Not get in the way.

We help people make better decisions, focus on what matters and move forward with purpose.

Crucially, a strong PMO knows how to flex.

We don’t apply a one-size-fits-all model.

We bring expertise that can be shaped to suit culture, ways of working and appetite for risk.

That’s where the real value lies.

I don’t need to be an expert in your industry to make a meaningful difference.

Part of the role is quickly understanding how the organisation operates.

Then applying what works best.

Of course, there are exceptions.

But in most cases, being industry agnostic is a strength.

It brings fresh thinking, challenge and a broader view.

I actively seek new sectors for exactly that reason.

Is this push for industry experience part of the buyer’s market we’re in? Possibly.

It could also be a missed opportunity to do things differently.

Are we too focused on industry experience in PMO hiring?

When PMO roles ask for sector-specific experience, I get it.

It can feel like a safer choice.

Someone who knows the environment, the challenges, the language.

But I keep wondering what we might be missing.

There’s often an assumption that industry experience makes someone a safer pair of hands.

That they’ll already get the systems, the acronyms, the unwritten rules.

In fast-moving or complex environments, it can feel like one less thing to explain.

A good PMO isn’t there to run the business.

We’re here to make change happen.

We bring structure, clarity and focus.

We help teams prioritise.

We support better decisions.

We spot risks early.

We connect the dots and keep delivery moving.

These are skills that cut across industries.

In fact, stepping into a new sector often sharpens our ability to ask better questions and notice what others may have stopped seeing.

Hiring someone with the same background might feel like the obvious choice.

Someone with fresh perspective and a wider lens can often help you move forward faster.

5 Days, 5 Real Stories of PMO in Action

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 15:42:07 GMT

5 Days, 5 Real Stories of PMO in Action

For this week I am going to share some of my own case studies.

1️⃣ The Visibility Crisis

Drowning in Projects? Here’s How We Took Back Control

2️⃣ Prioritisation Paralysis; When the wrong things are getting the most attention.

3️⃣ The Governance Tug-of-War: Control vs. Speed (And How to Win Both).

4️⃣ The PMO Credibility Gap; PMO: Partner or Police? How We Changed the Narrative .

It's the last day of the series. Anything resonate with you and your organisation? Shall we talk?

5️⃣ The Missing Anchor: What High-Performing Delivery Teams Have (That Others Don't… Yet).

The Metrics of a PMO

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 15:36:38 GMT

The Metrics of a PMO

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International Women's Day

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 15:34:09 GMT

International Women's Day

On International Women’s Day, I continue to celebrate the woman who inspires me every single day: my daughter.

She isn’t fearless, but she faces her fears with quiet determination. She has doubts, but she stands firm in her values. She is stronger than she realises, resolute in ways that amaze me.

She’s studying film production and looks to build her future in cinematography: a field where women remain underrepresented. With her talent, determination, and unwavering passion, I have no doubt she will make her mark.

She is my role model, and I couldn’t be more proud.

#IWD #Inspiration #StrongWomen #FutureCinematographer

On Day 1, I knew I had made a mistake.

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 15:32:08 GMT

On Day 1, I knew I had made a mistake.

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The G Word

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 15:28:09 GMT

The G Word

When people hear the word GOVERNANCE in project management, it often brings to mind rigid processes and endless forms. For many organisations, governance is seen as something that satisfies audit requirements but gets in the way of delivery.

But does governance really have to be that way? Absolutely not. When done right, governance becomes a crucial part of successful delivery. And both PMOs and project managers share responsibility in ensuring it works effectively without becoming a burden.

Governance: A Mindset Shift

Too often, I’ve seen organisations where governance is implemented only to cover audits, but with an attitude that it shouldn’t “slow down” delivery. This reflects a deeper misconception that governance is a necessary evil; something to work around. What’s needed is a shift in mindset, especially at the leadership level. This isn’t about choosing between governance and delivery. When embedded correctly, it supports delivery seamlessly, rather than hindering it.

Big Goals, Slow Progress? Here’s What Might Be Missing.

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 15:10:40 GMT

Big Goals, Slow Progress? Here’s What Might Be Missing.

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How I learn Best

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 15:09:19 GMT

How I learn best

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PMO: Knowing Vs Doing

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 15:07:39 GMT

PMO in 2025: Knowing vs Doing

There is no shortage of advice on what makes a great PMO. Articles, frameworks, training courses. There is so much great guidance on governance, prioritisation, and value delivery. And I share my thoughts too, including here on LinkedIn, because I believe in making PMOs better.

��But knowing what good looks like is not the same as making it happen.

And that is where my company comes in.

➡️Training and Real World Application

Training is valuable; it is part of the picture. Understanding what good looks like is important, but the real challenge is taking that model and applying it in a way that works for your organisation. Even the best trained teams need the right structures and processes to turn learning into action.

I do not promote a one size fits all solution. A great PMO is built on what works for your organisation, not just copying the textbook. My role is to help you apply the right thinking in a way that is practical, effective, and sustainable.

��Great PMOs do not just learn, they apply what they have learned. And this is where I can help.

➡️Evolving Your PMO

A great PMO is not built once and left to run. It needs to evolve.

Priorities shift. Organisations mature. Expectations increase. Whether your PMO is new or well established, knowing when and how to adapt is key.

I am studying the new PMI PMO qualification right now, reflecting on and challenging my own thinking. It has been a great opportunity to step back and see how modern PMO thinking is evolving.

The views I have championed for years on flexibility, value driven governance, and real business impact are becoming the standard for the best PMOs.

➡️Making It Happen

Please keep reading the articles, download templates, attending great training and networking at conferences. But at some point, action needs to follow.

✅ Aligning your PMO to strategy

✅Getting buy in from the right people

✅Designing fit for purpose processes

✅Fixing what is not working without breaking what is

✅Keeping your PMO relevant and impactful

And that is what I do. I make it happen.

��If you want to turn ideas into impact, let’s talk.

Happy 10th Birthday

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 15:04:43 GMT

Happy 10th Birthday

Happy 10th birthday to my business Tooles Consulting Limited.

I’ve had a blast to date and worked with some amazing people and organisations. I am so proud of everything I’ve achieved. Thanks to everyone who has been part of my journey so far.

Here’s to the next 10 years ��

If you need awesome PMO expertise to help your organisation prioritise and deliver effectively let’s talk!

PS I hope you are enjoying my posts this week on PMO in 2025!

What does a great PMO look Like in 2025

Sat, 08 Feb 2025 22:03:21 GMT

What is a PMO in 2025?

In 2025, businesses need to move fast, adapt constantly, and deliver results under pressure. A great PMO doesn’t slow things down; it clears the path for success.

A PMO (Project, Programme, or Portfolio Management Office) provides the structure, clarity, and insight needed for projects and programmes to succeed. It doesn’t manage projects; it creates the right environment for delivery teams to thrive, leadership to make informed decisions, and organisations to stay aligned to strategic goals.

At its best, a PMO brings consistency, transparency, and focus, helping organisations prioritise the right work, remove barriers, and track real progress. It ensures that project managers, leadership, and teams have the tools, data, and frameworks they need to deliver effectively.

What does a PMO really do?

1. The engine that keeps delivery moving

Creating the structure and oversight that enables projects and programmes to stay on track.

2. The link between ideas and action

Connecting strategy to execution by ensuring that the right work is prioritised and aligned with business goals.

3. A source of support, not red tape

Helping teams navigate challenges and manage risk effectively, rather than enforcing process for the sake of it.

4. The voice of reason in decision-making

Providing leadership with clear, data-informed insights to guide investment and prioritisation decisions.

5. A function that flexes with the business

A great PMO doesn’t just evolve. It anticipates what the organisation needs next, adapting to stay relevant, effective, and value-driven.

�� Does your PMO help your organisation move forward, or is it just another process to manage? If you’re not sure, let’s talk.

Why PMO Still Matters in 2025

With organisations under increasing pressure to deliver results, manage change, and make smart investment decisions, the PMO plays a critical role not by running projects, but by ensuring that delivery is well-structured, well-supported, and aligned to business needs.

1. Data-Influenced Decisions, Not Just Dashboard Metrics

Good decision-making isn’t about blindly following dashboards and reports; it’s about using data alongside experience, context, and strategic thinking. A strong PMO ensures that leadership has access to reliable insights but also the analysis and interpretation needed to turn numbers into meaningful action. The right PMO guides informed decisions, not just data-driven ones.

2. Guiding Change, Not Just Reporting on It

Transformation isn’t a one-off event; it’s an ongoing journey. A strong PMO does more than track and report on change; it provides the insight and structure to help organisations steer it with intent. By offering clarity on progress, risks, and dependencies, the PMO ensures leadership can make informed decisions, keeping change on course rather than reactive and chaotic.

3. Governance as an Enabler, Not a Hurdle

Governance should support delivery, not slow it down. A strong PMO ensures governance is built into the way teams work. Not as layers of approval, but as a framework for clarity, risk management, and alignment. The right governance provides confidence that the right decisions are being made, without unnecessary delays.

4. Getting the Best from Your People

With increasing demand and limited capacity, organisations need to be smarter about how they deploy their people. A PMO helps prioritise work, reduce bottlenecks, and ensure teams are focused on what really matters. The result? The right people, in the right roles, working on the right things; without overload or wasted effort.

5. Real Business Value; Beyond the Numbers

Not everything that matters can be neatly measured in financial metrics, yet too many projects focus on ROI and cost savings while losing sight of their real purpose. A strong PMO ensures value isn’t just a numbers exercise; it keeps stakeholders focused on delivering meaningful outcomes and makes benefits tracking simple, relevant, and worth doing.

�� Is your PMO keeping up with the demands of today’s business environment? If not, let’s explore how to make it more effective.

What Makes a Successful PMO in 2025?

Having a PMO is one thing; having one that genuinely empowers better decision-making, prioritisation, and delivery is another.

1. A Focus on Value, Not Just Process

The best PMOs are outcome-driven. They don’t just track progress; they ensure that projects and programmes are set up for success and delivering meaningful results.

2. A Seat at the Table, Not Just a Support Function

A PMO that sits on the side-lines won’t add value. The best PMOs are part of the big conversations actively shaping portfolio planning, prioritisation, and funding decisions. It’s about guiding the right work, not just tracking it.

3. Simple, Practical, and Effective

Too much process slows things down; too little leads to chaos. The right balance ensures teams have what they need to deliver effectively without unnecessary overhead.

4. Leveraging Technology for Impact

AI, automation, and PPM tools are transforming how PMOs operate, streamlining admin and providing real-time insights. But technology is only as effective as the people using it. A smart PMO integrates the right tools to support decision-making and delivery, freeing teams to focus on strategy, problem-solving, and driving real outcomes.

5. Building Capability for the Long Term

A great PMO doesn’t just keep projects on track; it equips teams with the skills, structures, and confidence to deliver successfully on their own. The goal isn’t just to manage work; it’s to create a sustainable way of working that continues to add value long after the PMO’s involvement.

Final Thoughts

A PMO should be the organisation’s biggest enabler of success, not just a reporting function. If yours isn’t delivering real value, let’s talk about how to change that.

Building Bridges, Not Barriers: How Governance Supports Great Delivery

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 10:16:14 GMT

Building Bridges, Not Barriers: How Governance Supports Great Delivery

When people hear the word governance in project management, it often brings to mind rigid processes and endless forms. For many organisations, governance is seen as something that satisfies audit requirements but gets in the way of delivery.

But does governance really have to be that way? Absolutely not . When done right, governance becomes a crucial part of successful delivery. And both PMOs and project managers share responsibility in ensuring it works effectively without becoming a burden.

Governance: A Mindset Shift

Too often, I’ve seen organisations where governance is implemented only to cover audits, but with an attitude that it shouldn’t “slow down” delivery. This reflects a deeper misconception that governance is a necessary evil — something to work around. What’s needed is a shift in mindset, especially at the leadership level. Governance isn’t about choosing between governance and delivery. When embedded correctly, it supports delivery seamlessly, rather than hindering it.

PMOs and Project Managers: Partners, Not Opponents

There’s often an unspoken tension between PMOs and project managers. Project managers may feel PMOs impose too much control, while PMOs sometimes think project managers try to bypass governance to keep things moving. In reality, both should work together, not in opposition.

When governance is seen as a shared responsibility , with the PMO providing a flexible framework and project managers embracing it, everyone benefits. Governance becomes less about policing and more about enabling success.

Tailored, Not Onerous

Good governance doesn’t mean more red tape. It’s about having processes that are proportional to the size, complexity, and risk of each project. Governance should be adaptable, allowing teams to keep pace without being slowed down.

For leadership, this means viewing governance as an integral part of great delivery, not something to avoid. Instead of asking

“How can we reduce governance?”

we should be asking

“How can we make it work for us?”

Governance as Value, Not Cost

Governance is often seen as an expensive overhead. But in reality, good governance adds value. It aligns project goals with business objectives, manages risks proactively, and ensures decisions are made based on real data.

In cases where poor governance leads to delivery issues, the PMO’s role isn’t to say, “I told you so.” It’s about learning from those moments and reinforcing the value of good governance. It’s there to protect the business and drive outcomes, not hinder progress.

Governance as a Partner in Delivery

Governance isn’t something to fear or avoid. It’s a partnership , with both PMOs and project managers playing essential roles. By embedding governance into the delivery process and viewing it as a tool, leadership can recognise its true value as a driver of successful project outcomes.

Come Fly With Me

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 17:01:08 GMT

Passport to Live

Have you ever been part of a Go/No Go decision for an important implementation where the decision is Go, but there are many fingers crossed behind the scenes? Have you experienced a last-minute realisation that the helpdesk wasn’t informed? Or found that while everything was technically perfect, the operational unit affected was off on a training course?

I’m sure there are lots more examples of ‘when launch goes bad’. It’s so easy to happen and devastating for those who have worked so hard to get their part done. In my experience there is rarely malicious or deliberate intent. There is just so much going on that it’s easy not to have covered all the angles. Let’s face it, comprehensive implementations are still not an everyday occurrence for many organisations.

Even if you go on holiday 3 or 4 times a year, you still go through your checklist to make sure you don’t turn up to the airport without your passport…

Passport to Live

That’s what I call it. How do you give your stakeholders the confidence to say yes for a Go Decision. It’s my term for business and technical readiness, release management, Go/No Go, project readiness review, gate review, I’m sure there are many other terms used. I like the term ‘Passport to Live’, it’s a simple metaphor for people to understand that to get to the required destination successfully and safely, FOR ALL, there are some checks and validations that need to be met. The reason I capitalised ‘for all’ is that this is not just about making sure the product (or service) is ready, but also to ensure that the environment in which the product lands is not adversely disrupted. Think about those items that you can’t take to some countries to protect the ecosystem. Passport to Live is about engaging all participants.

So how does Passport to Live (P2L) work?

Here are the golden principles for a successful Passport to Live process:

1. Early Start:

Start the process as early as possible into your project. For me, preparing for the launch happens in parallel to creating the product. By doing this you are mitigating risk from the beginning and keeping your eye on the end goal.

2. Clear Accountability:

The overall P2L process is managed by a dedicated facilitator, while the specific activities within it are owned and managed by designated individuals.

3. No Surprises:

Prepare your decision-maker/s along the path. The first time that they look at the passport should never be at the point of making the decision. The whole point of P2L is to provide confidence and to make the final decision simple and firm.

The general premise of P2L is that there are 6-8 focussed, headline questions or checks that need to be answered to enable the Go (or No Go) decision. Below is a starter list that you can tailor for your own needs.

These questions ensure comprehensive coverage of technical, compliance, and operational aspects.

The idea is that if you have the affirmative answers to these questions, with the appropriate provenances, you should have the confidence to stamp the passport and to go through the gate.

Confidence is the key word here. The overall accountable person need to be certain that, within an agreed level of risk, they are giving a safe go decision. Passport to Live provides the assurance that all the critical points have been addressed in a comprehensive and controlled manner.

Let’s return to those questions, because let’s face it, they are both simple and complex. To be able to say ‘yes’ to each question, there are likely several components that need to be answered.

For each of these sub questions, there should be a link to the appropriate evidence, like a Test Completion Report, for example.

Distributed Accountability

‘Thorough scrutiny and collective responsibility’

The final decision to ‘Go Live’ is taken by the assigned governing body, relying on the assurances provided by the owners of each check.

For example, the Project Board relies on the Test Manager who reviews the output from the testing team/documentation and reports on the results.

What we see now is a clear path;

‘Yes, we can go live

Because all the core checks have been passed

Which includes that the product is fit for purpose

As all the testing checks have been satisfactorily completed.

And here’s the evidence to prove it.’

By setting up the P2L process early, you have provided yourself with a great way of checking progress addressing blockers, and limiting surprises just before you go live. If you add updates and RAG on progress for each of the elements in your P2L, you’ve got yourself some great instant reporting and a central collaboration point. Set up regular check-ins for the project team, introduce the P2L dashboard to your governing body as a standard agenda item and perhaps provide a clear escalation path. Have a standard P2L template; these are all ways that you can embed this process and make it ‘business as usual’.

As a project/programme manager you are helping your stakeholders to feel confident about progress and allowing them to focus on where their help is required. You are ensuring that go decisions are based on the whole picture. You are confirming that your passport is up to date and in good health to go through the boarding gate.

Benefits

Early P2L implementation allows for early risk identification and mitigation, reducing last-minute surprises.
The process provides structured reporting and central collaboration, aiding stakeholders in focusing their efforts effectively.
At the portfolio level, consistent P2L practices help balance release schedules and implement improvements efficiently.

So, there you have it, my model for making a confident Go/No Go decision. I’ve used it in several organisations now, sometimes it’s called something different, the formatting changes but the principles remain the same. It’s been used by me and adopted by others with success. What I have witnessed every time the P2L is used is a calm and confident decision being made at the Go/No Go gate. Just don’t forget to apply the principles!

Remember, this is a process, not a last-minute check. It consolidates all the activities required for a confident Go decision. While one person facilitates the P2L process, the accountability and responsibility lie with all component teams and individuals.

Now grab your passport and fly!

A Christmas Story

183:818684966 (Zoe O'Toole) — Sun, 13 Dec 2020 17:07:17 GMT

Every year about this time my now teenage daughter and I have the same conversation about the Christmas tree.

It goes like this;

Me: Shall we have a real Christmas tree this year?

Pegs: I’d like to have the usual one

Me: It would be great to go and choose a real one though at a Christmas tree farm, an experience it together as a family,

Pegs: I’d prefer to have our usual one

Me: ...but why?

Pegs: ...because it’s our tradition, I love it, I love that we use the same tree every year, it makes me feel good and brings back Christmas memories. And it’s also good for the environment.

I can never really say much after that. She always wins this one.

Our Christmas tree is older than Pegs. Only just, but it is and overall, it’s in pretty good condition. Each year more decorations are added to it and one of those is extra special as it marks the year. It’s Peg’s decoration. She has 15 now and every single one is different.

The tree has decorations on it from all over the place, the world even; from Tanzania to the Arctic, from Platform 9 3/4 to poor Yorick’s skull. It always takes me ages to dress the tree because each decoration is a memory and a chance to reflect. Over the years a few of the decorations have been broken and I even remember those even though they don’t physically exist anymore.

The centre piece, tree topper, has been refreshed over the years, not that often but it gives a different view of the tree and usually reflects where we are at the time. We’ve had stars and a variety of fairies over the years, each adding their own special magic.

We now have a skirt around the bottom of the tree to give it a more secure foundation, and quite frankly, to protect it from the dogs. It looks good and works well with the tree and most importantly it provides good solid protection which it hadn’t needed in life before beagles.

Something that has changed quite a lot is the lighting. We’ve seen a succession of ever improving technology. We originally had bulbs, big lights which needed replacing often and involved checking every single bulb in the chain until the culprit was identified. Getting lights that flashed in different patterns was quite a big moment in the O’Toole household.

We progressed to LEDs which eliminated some of the issues with the regular bulbs. The LEDs have got increasingly smaller and last year we found a whole new innovation. Instead of just one long string of lights to wrap around the tree before the decorations went up, we discovered multi-stringed tiny LEDs. Wait for this, you place the centre of the light strings at the top of tree and then, the strings cascade beautifully down the tree with next to no effort.

Rocked our world I can tell you.

The bottom line, and the reason why we will probably continue with our old but faithful tree, is this.

This is our Christmas Tree; it’s exactly what we needed 16 years ago and that fundamental requirement has never changed. Sure, we’ve added to the offering over the years and we’ve lost some elements on the way, this has only increased the value generated every year. More security has been added over the years to cope with new threats and we’ve also taken advantage of new technology to make it easier and quicker to make the most of our offering. It’s our tree and we love it.

Happy Christmas everyone!

Turning a blind eye to bad manners

183:818684966 (Zoe O'Toole) — Sat, 28 Nov 2020 21:48:38 GMT

Treat me, others and yourself with respect and good manners and we will get on.

We might not agree all the time, have opposing opinions which might sometimes mean tension but ultimately, as long as you treat people respectfully we will be able to work effectively together. I suspect that’s the same for most people.

Now obviously people are all different in the way they express themselves, with traits and flaws; I may myself have the odd one... Sometimes the way I use humour to diffuse or break the ice may not work for everyone. I need to be aware of that. I learnt an important lesson early on about how your intention can be misunderstood. At a training event I was mortified, to learn that my enthusiastic questioning had initially been read as negative, disruptive behaviour. This was the complete opposite of reality as I was completely engaged! That moment has stuck with me as a reminder that our individual responses to the same content can be different and not always received in the way they were intended. What can be funny to one person can be demeaning to another. We need to remember this and not be so quick to judge based on our own expected reactions.

Now with that said I think there is still a line that separates an unexpected, unnecessary expression of emotion and the completely unacceptable. For example, being frustrated at a situation NEVER gives someone permission to be abusive in any form. And I think the majority of us take that as a given. The public reaction that we see to some of the terrible prejudice and injustice that is still all too prevalent in the world demonstrates that there is a general consensus on what is right and plain unacceptable.

What I want to talk about is the type of behaviour that seems to be tolerated even though it’s not really acceptable for most people. There are individuals I have worked with across the years who I am told ‘just have their way’; often people in key roles who have become critical and ‘irreplaceable’. These people may well have had their poor behaviours raised with them but without much real positive change seen by those impacted.

It's the person who thinks it’s ok to publicly embarrass people. It’s the undertone of superiority or subtle misogyny. It’s the simple bad manners and disrespect. It’s that moment in a meeting when you all wince at the way someone is being called out. It's the use of specific words or tone to intimidate to make a point.

E xamples I’ve witnessed include:

People being told to ‘go away, I don’t have time for your inane questions’
Colleagues taking bets before a meeting on who’s turn it is for the verbal beating
Not replying to emails from anyone not considered important enough
Not bothering to attend meetings, sometimes not even responding to invites
Being so much busier than everyone else that you have an excuse (for anything)
Those people who lay down the law but are above it, leading by mis-example

I suspect you, my reader, can also call out examples.

So why do we condone poor behaviour of some in the office? Why do we say ‘I know it’s unacceptable and I’ve spoken to them and I’m monitoring it’ but there is no apparent change to their behaviour to colleagues? Are we hostage to these behaviours for the greater good? Is that ok? Where is the line?

As I noted initially, we will all have our moments and we should be forgiven (on the whole) these moments. And, of course, we should check out the potential drivers for this behaviour, there may well be an underlying cause which requires real attention and support. When, however, the behaviour is consistent, repeated, sustained over a period of time and a ‘reputation’ in place I think we’ve probably gone over the line. Sometimes I think that these are just plain bad behaviours. And we let them happen. And we say it’s not ok but still let them happen. And to others, seeing these bad behaviours apparently condoned, this is not good for morale or a healthy culture.

And what might be indicators that we are ‘allowing’ bad behaviours?

‘I know he never turns up to meetings but what would we do without him’
‘it’s just her way, she doesn’t mean it’
‘look, they are really busy, I’m sure they will sort it when they get time’
‘I know that’s the process we agreed but this is different’
‘They shouldn’t have done it (again) but these are exceptional times’
‘Just ignore it, you focus on what you have to do’

So how do we ‘fix’ this? There are some really great models and techniques for managing feedback to people and addressing these behaviours in an appropriate way. The dilemma is how do we practically, consistently and fairly ensure that people are all treated in the same way? How do we make sure we forgive the ‘moments’ but stand firm on sustained disrespectful behaviour. How do we keep our key people engaged and delivering without compromising the whole integrity of the organisation’s culture?

We have to make it ok to call it out.
When we hear about, and witness, bad behaviour we have to take action.
We also need to look to ourselves and make sure we are leading by example.

If people don’t want to align with the organisation's way of working and corrupt evolving values, we should be asking if they really are an irreplaceable asset.

We shouldn’t be giving power to the bullies.

Footnote: When I first wrote this article, it was just before the Priti Patel bullying review was shared with the public. A strange coincidence but what an example.

What does the 'maturity' in a project maturity model mean?

183:818684966 (Zoe O'Toole) — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 13:52:49 GMT

When I hear the word 'mature' I sometimes get flashbacks to being a teenager and being told that I need to act more mature. Hmmmmm I was a teenager in the 80s, a period of some great examples of being a grown up, and therefore clearly being mature.

People who know me today might challenge the level of my maturity taking into account my unique sense of humour.

Others may look at model aged me and describe me as a woman of maturing years (but not to my face please).

When doing my usual intense 2 minute googling to research the word 'mature', one of the linked results asked 'Why is being mature important?' That piqued my curiosity so I took a quick look. Apparently 'maturity improves the ability to make good decisions', try telling that to my mature gut after some poor food decisions last week. The article also says 'with wise choices comes more stability...'; and again my mature brain conjures up an image of Spider-man with his dying Uncle. 'As you mature (or 'settle down' as the article says) life becomes that much more stable, and consequently, easier to handle'. I guess that internal influences cannot touch you if you are armed with your maturity shield...Now, where's my face mask?

As I read a little further it turned out that the article was written for a female lifestyle magazine back in the early 2000s. I don't think that matters so much though. It sparked synapses and has encouraged my thinking on PMO maturity models further. Yay (Another mature response). Oh, and a great example of a brainstorming technique for you; just so you know I can do grown up too.

Anyway, I run the risk of going a little Ronnie Corbett (those more mature of you will understand this reference and if you don't, I'm afraid maturing won't help) and so back to the point.

Hopefully, I have made my point that determining 'what maturity is' can depend on perspective, environment and current thinking. What is mature for one, may not be mature for another, and that applies to both within and between organisations. And remember; levels of maturity can go down as well as up. As we know, significant people or strategic change in an organisation can mean a time to regroup, restablish the new normal and determine direction. And does materity always mean good? How do you keep innovation and creativity flowing? Commercially speaking 'settling down' doesn't always make sense.

Now you should know that I think Maturity Models are good, used in the right way. The secret is to be clear on the objective and required outcome. Why are you doing a maturity assessment? Maturity Models can be weapons of mass destruction in the wrong hands and with the wrong mindset. For me, a Maturity Model provides you with the framework to determine the gaps between where you would like the organisation to be and where it is today. You can then evolve a plan to bridge those gaps. Before you do the assessment you really really really need to know what level of so called maturity is right for your organisation. You need to know which of the different elements within project and portfolio delivery are most valued and required by your key stakeholders.

It's definitely not a competition to get the highest overall score. Not only would that be rather expensive and difficult to write a business case for, but quite frankly, why? In determining what's the right profile for the company, you can benchmark against similar organisations, just remember though, similar organisations can be defined in different ways. A suitable criteria for comparison might be the same size, industry, geograpthy and more. Do remember though that you are creating a profile for your specific objective and vision.

Once you've completed your assessment against your desired ideal, please do something with the information! Look at the areas with the biggest gaps and figure out what you and your team can do to improve. You might want to do this as a stepped plan of work. You may need to prioritise what you focus on first. Sometimes it might be right to improve all the elements to a minimum overall level. There may be an area that is more critical to the company than any of the others, for example risk management, and therefore this is where limited resource should be focused. How you choose to use the outputs is up to you, just remember why you decided to do the assessment in the first place and also what you defined 'good' as.

Anyway as I draw to a close and in the spirit of sharing some takeaway nuggets, here's some tips to think about to maximise the benefits of undertaking the maturity assessment.

1. Decide if there is a problem that needs to be solved; are your projects delivering the expected outcomes in a way that you feel good about and suits your working environment?

2. Define what your perfect delivery environment would look and feel like; consider what's important for your organisation, for example; is it pace or quality that's the key driver; how risk averse is the culture or what's the volume of change going on etc.

3. Prioritise the areas you want/need to improve on and make a plan; you might want to focus on the areas with the largest gaps first. Have a stepped plan, be real on what you can achieve and by when.

Disruption

183:818684966 (Zoe O'Toole) — Sun, 04 Oct 2020 10:05:48 GMT

This word has been buzzing around for a while now.

Commenting on a LinkedIn post yesterday, I confessed to finding the use of 'disruption' in change as quite irritating. I feel a bit guilty about this because I do understand the sentiment behind using it. The challenge to people and organisations to shake themselves up, look at different ways of achieving great success, and changing the status quo. This can lead to a whole new way of positive and productive thinking . All good right, by why use this particular word?

Oxford Dictionary; disruption

disturbance or problems which interrupt an event, activity or process.

Negative vibes coming across to you? Wait until you see the synonym selection. This quick google check is what led me to write down these thoughts and also to read a bit more about the business interpretation kicked off by Christensen's late 1990s book 'The Innovator's Dilemma'

Interruption disorder disturbance confusion disarray turmoil quarrel impairment incapacitation demolition destruction deception obstruction

Inspiring huh. And yet I keep going back to my school days when we talked about how major events in the world to which you could assign such words are often the catalyst for great change and creativity. Penicillin is the one that always comes to mind; discovered in the late 20's, it took World War II to really catapult production and make the difference. I'm thinking future generations of students will learn about how the distruption of the Great Lockdown in 2020 accelerated and produced creativity to the benefit of many.

I'm kind of amused by some of the revisions that people have made over the years to the above. For example David Rockefeller adds '...and discontent is the father of progress'. Agatha Christie thinks that laziness is the mother of invention; a need to find a way to do things 'with less effort' Mark Twain says that necessity is the mother of taking chances.

So where am I going with this all??? Change happens, we like it even when we think we don't because otherwise well we wouldn't have changed over the centuries and still strive to improve! Can we not just find a better word that shouts progression and change in a way that makes me smile and feel motivated and great about making an impact? The only word that started to approach this for me in the list of miserable synonyms I saw in my quick google scan was 'breakthrough'. This felt good. I'm sure there are more and better though.

Thoughts anyone?

And by the way, as a postscript and in the words of the great bard 'what's in a name', everyone please keep working and creating and making a difference and be happy about it.

Oh, and I thought Tony Robbins' article 'What disruption really means' was a good read too.

Interview with Pragmatic PMO 2020

183:818684966 (Zoe O'Toole) — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 16:50:40 GMT

I recently joined Ken Burell ( Pragmatic PMO ltd ) on his Scary Scars Shared series and here's episode #22 - Blind Driving in the Badlands with me - Zoe O'Toole.

Local team with big goals

183:818684966 (Zoe O'Toole) — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 19:47:58 GMT

I got my logo redesigned at the beginning of the year (thanks @BigEyesDesign ).
Re-designing my logo has been so much more than playing around with some pretty fonts and colours, it's also been a great opportunity to think about what I want my business to be.

I want to continue supporting multiple organisations and making a PMO difference. The best result for me is that I leave behind a great legacy and build on my experience and toolkit along the way.

As part of the redesign exercise I then, of course, needed to get some merchandise to accompany the launch of website and also to get the business name out and about. Another great adventure I can tell you, resulting in some rather sleek pens and, the jewel in the crown, a multi charger cable fully branded up.

Covid-19 has been rather distracting on many levels and so momentum on completing the website has slowed some what. Luckily with the support of @Sophiepottervaservices we've now got there, and I've also added another covid-influenced gadget to my merch stock (yay).

Anyway this blog was actually to tell you about the best thing I have done since thinking about my branding.

I’ve been able to support my local community, which is so important to me, through sponsorship of the Weedon Bec Under-10s football team! It’s very cool to see my logo on the team strip but will be even more exciting when the guys get back out on the pitch to play again.

Go Weedon U-10s. You rock!

Welcome to the menagerie

Fri, 13 Mar 2020 10:52:32 GMT

So, alongside my day job as a PMO Consultant, I also have a rather large menagerie of pets (and a very understanding husband). This includes 12 chickens, all ladies. They are a mixture of breeds and are ace. Our chickens include a gentle giant Cochin called Tiny, three Silkies which are just complete bundles of fluff, a beautiful Laced Wyandotte called Bob, a rather wonderfully named Rumpless Araucana; Sharon, a regular Blue Hen adventurously called Bluebell, a tiny but sparky bird called Duchess, and some beautiful plump Pekin Bantams. The leader is one of the Pekin girls called Greg, she is at the top of the pecking order (yes that’s where it’s from!) and is last to go bed once she is sure everyone else is tucked in. Complete characters. Whilst they do love exploring and checking out new things, and who knew what excitement checking out the newly exposed bit of ground could bring, they are very much creatures of habit. They all wake up at the same time, they take themselves to bed at the same time and often in the same order. As soon as they get up they all head to the food dispenser and then they all take a drink together.

If we want to introduce a new chicken into the family, we have to go with a minimum of two. The flock does not like strangers and they can be quite aggressive to newcomers. If there are at least two new birds, they have each other as company and will often stay together as close friends going forwards. The new chickens will often bed down away from the other chickens for at least the first night. We have to find the new chickens and put them into the coop at night for a few days until they get used to the routine and take themselves. There’s always a settling in period.

Last weekend there were big changes in the chicken paddock. The coop was just too small for the flock and it was time to expand. There wasn’t much room to spread out at night and there was only enough nesting space for one chicken at a time for laying eggs which sometimes caused friction. After some good research and hunting, we chose the perfect new coop with two nesting boxes, loads more space and, most excitingly, perches which the birds didn’t have in their current coop set up.

The coop was set up in the garden, in a new position that increased their play area, on a large stand which provided them additional covered area underneath for when the weather is bad (chickens don’t like rain). The old coop was removed for cleaning and moving on. Another shelter was removed also, it was all looking rather marvellous. We were so excited for the chickens.

When the light was gone in the evening, we went out to make sure the chickens had all found their way to their new manor. We weren’t daft, we were expecting some resistance. We did expect there to be a few of the birds to be huddled up in a corner somewhere. We checked out the new coop and were very pleased to see that three of the chickens had made their way to their new home, two of them were even using the perches. But the others... Torches out and chicken hunt underway. There remained two plastic shelters in the area, one of them is no bigger than a small cat box and has very occasionally been used as a quiet place to lay eggs. It’s been in the garden for some time. I had a quick look, just in case. The box was crammed with chickens…. There really would have been more space left in a tin of sardines. I finally pulled 8, yes 8, chickens out of the box including Tiny the giant chicken. They were not happy about being taken out of this tiny cramped space. The birds had chosen to squeeze themselves into a completely inappropriate box that was familiar to them rather than check out the new chicken palace.

All of the birds were put manually into the new coop one by one, and a few of them were put in several times as they kept jumping back out into the garden and return to, well, anywhere else that they recognised. They were finally shut in overnight and all piled out, happily enough the following morning. They all went to have breakfast together, just as usual. Last night a few more made it to the new coop and, having lost access to the tiny box, the others had all made themselves comfortable next to the rabbit hutch which has also been there for some time, even if they had to be outside. They will settle into their new home, slowly but surely. They will become as attached to this coop as they were their old one and will all go to bed at the same time, to the same place and probably, in the same order.

I am now looking forward to the excitement of finding an egg in the new, more private and comfy nesting area. Then and only then, will I know that they have accepted their new home, in their own good time. Fingers crossed it won’t take too long!

Preparing for when 'normality' returns...

Fri, 28 Feb 2020 10:52:32 GMT

It's been a funny old week, as we try to normalise the out of the ordinary. During my week, I have written an article for CITI, a project management consultancy, who I am proud to be associated with.

The article looked at how many change teams may have downtime over the current period and how they could turn it on it's head to evolve their project capability. If you fancy reading the article you can find it here .

I’ve had similar dialogue with another client; how do you get some kind of value, put a positive spin on these corona crazy times.

It’s guaranteed that at some point in the (near, I hope) future there will be new projects and programmes kicking off again. What we need to understand and appreciate is these might not be the original plans we made at the beginning of the year, or discussed in strategic planning cycle for 2020.

Many of us will have seen the extraordinary efforts of IS teams setting up vast numbers of colleagues to work at home. Such an effort might have not even been considered previously. The need didn’t exist. And in a similar vein i'm listening to the multiple challenges and the need for disaster recovery sites, of the expansion of head office sites, of having ‘virtually’ face to face Board meetings.

Another guarantee is the significant changes to come in the way we work and inevitable new innovation to implement it all. For me and for us as all there are exciting times ahead.

There have been many examples in history when world changing events have been the catalyst for positive growth but at the same time huge cost. Whilst much of our effort should of course be about the present that doesn't mean we can't also consider the future possibilities.

Many companies will be focusing on battening down the hatches with a real need to preserve cash flow; however there are organisations looking at positive ways to improve income. There are also those out there who are using this down time with incredible compassion, figuring out how they can increase productivity of equipment that will support the NHS during this critical time, diversifying in ways that I wouldn’t have thought possible; such as racing cars to ventilators.

Not every leader will be able to make those kinds of contributions, but what you can do is be prepared for when this is over and be ready to kick start these new projects.

Leaders; use this time to make sure you have the right teams in place, who feel equipped; motivated and with the skills and knowledge they need to expedite change.

To those of us who deliver in the project world, whether you are employed or self-employed; use some of your ‘downtime’ to study, complete online courses and most importantly network with others who can share their experience and ideas.

The truth is, however this goes and however long this takes, the world will emerge from this. We all need to keep ourselves fit and ready to take on the next chapter.

Wishing safety, health and happiness to you and your families.

Zoe

Thank you for the pictures: Photo by Startup Stock Photos from Pexels

International Womens Day 2020

Fri, 28 Feb 2020 10:52:32 GMT

As we approach International Women's Day I've been reflecting on how my gender has affected my career.

Honestly I can't pinpoint a time where being female has been a blocker to me . It might be that there has been inequality that I've missed or just unconsciously ignored. I like to think that my achievements have been through my own hard work and a bit of luck. When things haven't gone my way, my gender hasn't been a factor, as far as I can tell.

So I challenged myself as to what International Women's Day means to me.

The bottom line is that whilst I think gender hasn't been an obvious issue to me in my career and personal life, there are too many women out there who clearly contend with inequality today. We all, female and male alike, need to treat everyone like humans. We need to celebrate our differences, and harness them to create a balanced, productive and kind environment for all.

I celebrate women who have stood up to inequality, and give a warm embrace of support to those who still face it everyday. I will continue to be proud of who I am and encourage others to do the same. I'll call out inequality when I see it and be a role model for my daughter as a strong, independent woman.

My husband, girl and I call ourselves the triangle and, just so you know, it's an equilateral.

#eachforequal

Postscript; if my teenage daughter reads this; no this does not give you any additional rights within the family heirarchy.

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What does the 'maturity' in a project maturity model mean?

When I hear the word 'mature' I sometimes get flashbacks to being a teenager and being told that I need to act more mature. Hmmmmm I was a teenager in the 80s, a period of some great examples of being a grown up, and therefore clearly being mature.

Disruption

This word has been buzzing around for a while now.

Interview with Pragmatic PMO 2020

I recently joined Ken Burell ( Pragmatic PMO ltd ) on his Scary Scars Shared series and here's episode #22 - Blind Driving in the Badlands with me - Zoe O'Toole.

Local team with big goals

I got my logo redesigned at the beginning of the year (thanks @BigEyesDesign ). Re-designing my logo has been so much more than playing around with some pretty fonts and colours, it's also been a great opportunity to think about what I want my business to be.

Welcome to the menagerie

Preparing for when 'normality' returns...

International Womens Day 2020

I got my logo redesigned at the beginning of the year (thanks @BigEyesDesign ).
Re-designing my logo has been so much more than playing around with some pretty fonts and colours, it's also been a great opportunity to think about what I want my business to be.