Creating the project office 25. This is a book about improving organizational performance by implementing a project office system that develops project management as a core competency and thus adds value to the organization. A project office consists of a team dedicated to improving the practice of project management in the organization. The improvement in organizational performance is achieved by obtaining more value from projects, making project management a standard management practice, and then moving the organization toward the enterprise project management concept | Pathway to Organizational Change 10. 8. 5. 3. Refreeze 7. 6. Unfreeze 9. Staff and operate Change 2. In this chapter we cover how and with whom some companies staff their project offices. What competencies do they look for What type of training do project offices at 3M use Where is the PO positioned within the organization What are roles and responsibilities of key players How do they work through cultural and other issues together We also address funding the project office and the ebb and flow or cyclic nature of operating a project office. Y CHAPTER NINE IN OR OUT STAFFING AND OPERATING THE PROJECT OFFICE Are you in or out is the tag line of the main character in the movie Ocean s Eleven. Dapper Danny Ocean actor George Clooney is a man of action rolling out his next plan one that s never been done before to do it would be impossible there are a dozen reasons why it won t work a smash-and-grab job. Following three rules don t hurt anybody don t steal from anyone who doesn t deserve it and play the game like you ve got nothing to lose Danny orchestrates the most sophisticated elaborate casino heist in history. Knowing the difficulties of pulling off the heist Ocean and his partner assemble a team each person brought on board for a specific expertise and the lure of a big payoff. The movie director made a conscious effort to have all the actors hang out together. The movie producer noted that as the actors started spending time together away from the set real friendships developed. The actors wanted to go to work and work and be with one another. The movie s Web site describes how much fun everyone had on this movie. Staffing a project office involves similar challenges approaches and desire to work together. Getting the right people and creating the environment for them to be successful will make or break a project office. 219 220 Creating the Project Office The tale we tell Establish sense of urgency clear danger Make change stick new PBO culture Create guiding .
