· 1 min read
PMO Uplift: From Reporting Desk to Decision Body
A PMO that only reports is a spectator. Here is how to turn it into a room where choices get made.
Reporting without authority is a polite way to watch money burn. PMO uplift is about creating a decision factory, not prettier dashboards.
Problem: PMO as spectator
- Status consolidation replaces action.
- Vendors bypass governance because nothing changes when they do.
- Sponsorship thinks PMO is overhead, not leverage.
Solution: earn decision gravity
- Standardize decisions: Define weekly decision slots—funding changes, scope trades, and risk escalations—with templates that force options and impacts.
- Tie evidence to spend: Every PMO pack shows cash impact of each risk and the runway to act. If a risk has no owner with a date, it is a parked liability.
- Codify escalation: Escalations must move faster than burn. A 48-hour rule: if not resolved, auto-escalate to the sponsor with clear choices.
Upgrade the PMO charter to include approval rights on change control and vendor performance gates. Reporting follows authority, not the other way around.
Smart conclusions
- Measure PMO by decisions closed, not pages produced.
- Keep ceremonies light; the point is outcomes per week, not attendance.
- When the PMO can say “no” with data, delivery speed increases because ambiguity drops.
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