Reflections on chairing the Leadership in Public Sector PMO Conference.

This week I had the pleasure of chairing the Leadership in Public Sector PMO Conference run by Liquid Learning. Over the two days I met some great people and heard from thought leaders from Federal, State and Local Public Sector Programme/Project Management Offices (PMO).

My key takeaways from the presentations were:

  • Use the SCARF model and House of Change to help people understand where they are in the change process and how to manage their response to it.
  • Project funders want outcomes not outputs, so focus on measuring those. I.e. They want safe children not a pedestrian crossing.
  • Your team won’t support you if you don’t treat them as humans.
  • Relationships, culture and values will enable you to succeed so build, develop and mature them.
  • Document management is the bane of your existence and the bedrock on which you live.
  • Build diverse teams, with a mix of skills and the right attitude. It’s easier to build aptitude than change attitude.
  • Good is good enough, especially if it means done as opposed not in the search of perfection.
  • The purpose of leadership is to remove barriers and take accountability.
  • Reflect on whether your doing the right things in the right way to achieve the right outcomes.
  • Adopt and adapt best practice to meet the needs of your organisation.
  • Reduce complexity as it wastes time, effort and money.
  • Engage stakeholders and build rapport by delivering your message in their preferred methods (Visual/Auditory/Kinesthetic/Auditory Digital).

Lots to reflect on and take forward, if you attended I’d love for you to share your thoughts as well.

Pursue your potential,

Brendon.