Project Office Failures

Project Office Failures

A major failure of influence typically results in one of these scenarios:

The PMO never getting off the ground.

The PMO operating, but not achieving desired outcomes, and therefore wasting money. In a bureaucratic environment, the PMO may continue to exist, but offer little benefit. If a cost-cutting initiative is launched, the PMO will be forced to change, or forced to close.

So far, this section has focused on the extremes of either successful influence or a thorough failure of influence. Of course, in most cases, the reality lies somewhere in between. A degree of influence, but less than optimal influence, leads to these situations:

The PMO solving some long-standing problems with projects, but not others.

The PMO working well with some divisions or regions, but not with others.

The PMO showing some beneficial outcomes, but not as much as it could.

In this situation, the PMO must work to capitalize on its successes and turn around its failures. Assessment of what is working well is crucial. And a fresh start where the PMO has not yet gained influence and created desired outcomes is essential, as well.

There are many types of influence. To make this theoretical discussion practical, it is necessary to look at each type individually. That is the topic of the next section.