Laura Barnard, PMP, CAL, Prosci, IES
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States
500+ connections
Articles by Laura
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149: The Importance of Peer Connection for PMO Leaders
149: The Importance of Peer Connection for PMO Leaders
By Laura Barnard, PMP, CAL, Prosci, IES
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Managing Projects During Chaos: Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Managing Projects During Chaos: Coronavirus (COVID-19)
By Laura Barnard, PMP, CAL, Prosci, IES
Contributions
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You're supporting a CEO through a major company restructuring. How can you help them overcome self-doubt?
There are two parts: doubt with the decision and the execution plan. The goal of this change is to accelerate the delivery of the organization’s strategy, so it’s crucial to identify anything that might hinder this process. Once those obstacles are addressed, the CEO is likely to feel more confident about the solution. The next step is ensuring that not only the leadership team but everyone in the organization understands why the change is happening and how they can contribute to the future state. This helps eliminate any self-doubt about the design and empowers people to achieve the new goal. When everyone is aligned right from the start, you’ll be far more likely to get the better business outcomes you’re looking for.
Activity
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🚀 Become an IMPACT Insider! 🚀 Be among the first to transform your strategy delivery with my new book, The IMPACT Engine: Accelerating Strategy…
🚀 Become an IMPACT Insider! 🚀 Be among the first to transform your strategy delivery with my new book, The IMPACT Engine: Accelerating Strategy…
Shared by Laura Barnard, PMP, CAL, Prosci, IES
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🚀 Ready to unlock the full potential of your PMO? 🚀 Join my exclusive, hands-on workshop at the IMPACT Summit on September 12! This 3-hour session…
🚀 Ready to unlock the full potential of your PMO? 🚀 Join my exclusive, hands-on workshop at the IMPACT Summit on September 12! This 3-hour session…
Shared by Laura Barnard, PMP, CAL, Prosci, IES
Licenses & Certifications
Publications
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Are you owning the project management process, or are they?
Have you ever heard a stakeholder on your project say, “I’m completing the template you guys asked me to complete?” Or maybe you’ve heard, “I’m completing the steps in your process.”
Do you know what’s wrong with both of those sentences? They didn’t say “our”, they said “your.” -
Fight, Flight or Freeze – Resistance to Implementing PM Practices
Have you struggled with getting your PMO setup or with getting PM practices in place in your organization?
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Project Management Day of Service (PMDoS®) 2017
On January 16, 2017, Martin Luther King Day, a national day of service, over 250 project management volunteers came together to help launch over 50 critical nonprofit initiatives spanning three major metropolitan areas—Washington, DC, New York, NY, and Norfolk, VA—for the 3rd annual Project Management Day of Service (PMDoS®).
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“Be More Strategic”
Have you ever been told that you need to be more strategic? Did you think to yourself, “Geez, I thought I was being strategic!”
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Telling the PMO Story
Whether you are trying to make the case for the PMO for the first time or giving an update on the progress of the PMO, it’s extremely important that you tell a compelling story of both pain and progress. The story needs to take your audience on the journey from where they are today to a brighter future, addressing the challenges they have in getting projects completed under the current environment.
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If You Want to Be a Leader, Stop Doing
Do you feel like you can’t ever catch up? Do you feel like you have countless meetings on your calendar and that leaving on time is an oh so distant memory? Maybe it’s because you are doing instead of leading.
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The High of Having Impact
You know that feeling when you have made a difference in someone’s life? Do you know that high of having an impact through your service to others?
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The One Hour Manager
We think and talk about spring cleaning and new year’s resolutions, but what do we do later in the year to get ourselves reset and refocused on what matters?
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My Interview With APM
I did an interview for some friends with the Association for Project Management in the UK. I wanted to share this interview with you all!
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4 Questions to ask when starting a PMO
There are many questions you need to ask when you start a PMO. We immediately want to go to defining the services, building templates, taking on an army of PMs, and starting projects. Before we come in like gangbusters, take a few moments to ask some very fundamental questions that you may want to answer before you start defining the services and the rest of the stuff we think of when starting a PMO.
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Why do PMOs exist?
I was a keynote speaker at one of the University of Maryland Project Management symposiums, and spoke about my proven process for creating high-impact PMOs. I took a moment to get to know the audience at the beginning and asked them about what they believed the purpose was for the PMO.
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Don’t boil the ocean (when creating a PMO)
While some people may not have heard the term “boil the ocean,” most have heard of the KISS principle, most notably coined by the U.S. Navy in 1960 as “keep it simple, stupid.” The idea was don’t over-complicate things unnecessarily. Keep your approach and your methods simple. Makes sense to me, I’m all about simple is better!
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Earned Value Management (EVM) is not enough
OK, I know this is going to create a stir in the social atmosphere and that gives me a bit of a smirk on my face. Why? Because it’s time for project managers and PMO leaders to wake up and pay attention to what the business has to say.
What is EVM? -
Setting sponsor expectations
Have you ever gotten frustrated because your sponsor didn’t do what you were expecting them to do? I have. I used to get really frustrated that they seemed to not care as much about their own project as I did. It was super annoying.
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Whatever you do, don’t call it a PMO
What’s in a name?
When it comes to PMOs, a lot! Have you been paying attention to the PMO space recently? I have. More and more organizations are moving away from the title PMO for the organization that facilitates the planning and execution of business strategy. I’ve seen Business Transformation Office, Strategic Planning Office, Strategy Execution Office, Enterprise Strategy Execution team, and on and on…anything but PMO, please! -
The problem with process: Why your projects and PMOs are failing before they ever get off the ground
If I read one more PMO article or book that tells me to focus my energy on process first if I want my PMO to be successful, I’m going to be sick. Process is NOT the answer (well, at least it’s not the first answer)!
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Dealing with difficult stakeholders
What does it mean when you call someone a difficult stakeholder? No, back up. What does it mean to be a stakeholder and how do you engage them effectively?
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Lesson in stakeholder management from Mr. Rogers
I was listening to two of my friends on a podcast and there were so many stories and lessons in there that I just had to share with you.
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What your resume says about you
Resumes, I’ve seen a few…
Over the last many years, I would often stand on stage at speaking engagements in the D.C. area and say, “If you’ve been in the job market in the last 15 years, I’ve seen your resume!” -
Stop playing with toys – where many PMO leaders are getting stuck
There are several building blocks necessary for a PMO to be successful. To keep things simple for this post, let’s focus on the general categories people, processes and tools.
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Your role as a sponsor: A letter on behalf of your project manager
What does it mean to be a project sponsor? What is expected of me? Why can’t they just do the project without getting me involved?
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Haters be hatin’
Being successful can be absolutely wonderful. It can be an incredible and life-fulfilling experience. Sometimes, however, it can get really lonely. Why is that?
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Don’t do the dishes
I was making breakfast this morning and put a bowl in the sink and noticed a handful of other dirty dishes in the sink. I dislike dirty dishes in the sink, but I dislike doing dishes more. I considered doing them, but then thought about all of the other things I needed to do today and felt a sense of relief knowing that the dishes would be done by tonight.
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When good projects go bad
What? Some projects don’t go well? No way!! OK, so clearly they do. Not ours, of course, but other people’s projects sometimes don’t work out as intended. I know it’s natural human behavior to not want to be at fault or have a project not doing so well, but sometimes, despite our best efforts, we have projects that aren’t on track. What do we do to get them back on track and prevent this from happening in the future?
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Did you know that Project Management can change the world?
Business leaders: Have you ever wondered the real value of the Project
Management profession?
Project managers: Are you a project manager who knows darn well your value and wishes others would see just how valuable you are?
Are you sick of having your entire career called the accidental profession?
Everyone: Do you wish there was a more meaningful way for you to give back to your community?
Well, have I got a story for you! -
People are not resistant to change
No, seriously, they aren’t. Don’t believe me? Know anyone that has gotten married, had kids, changed jobs, tried a new hairstyle, remodeled their kitchen, bought new clothes, read a new book, taken a class, rearranged their furniture in their house, or any of millions of other large or small changes? How many of those have you willingly chosen to do, yourself?
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Talking in Business Speak about PMO Value
Does it seem like the “business side” of your company speaks a different language? Are you the business side and sick of not being heard, or feeling misunderstood?
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What is a business driven PMO?
There are a lot of buzz words and phrases out there in the PMO space, but what does it mean to really be a business driven PMO?
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How to Train Your Sponsor
The number one factor in determining success or failure of your change initiative is…sponsor engagement. Thought it was communication, didn’t you?
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Project Communications Your Sponsor Will LOVE
What’s the biggest determining factor in success or failure of a project or any change you are trying to create? Communication, right? It’s all about communication. Even though it’s the most important factor, many of us are struggling to get our message across to our executives because of how we are communicating.
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Perfection is the Enemy of Progress
We do a lot. We are ALL doing a lot. I am willing to bet that every single one of you that reads this article does A LOT! How can I be so sure?
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Ensuring PMO and Change Sustainability
All too often, I see organizations try to create a PMO or change organization because someone got “something shiny syndrome” and then it fizzles before the organization has really been given the chance to take off in a meaningful way. All of that time, money, and effort spent and now we are letting that work go to waste because the next something shiny came along.
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PMO Building Block 6: Alignment with What Matters
Driving Real Change across an Enterprise
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PMO Building Block 5: Successful Change Leadership
Creating Change Advocacy in Your Organization
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PMO Building Block 3: Which Tools Make a Difference?
Do Some Tools Have a Proven Success Over Others?
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PMO Building Block 2: The Low Down on Methodologies
Implementation Methodology vs. Project Management / What’s New in Portfolio Level Methodology?
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PMO Building Block 1: The Type of PMO for Your Organization
This article will look at a few of the most common mistakes PMO leaders make when setting up or evolving a PMO.
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The Building Blocks of an Effective and Sustainable PMO
Great! So, you have been charged with building and running a PMO for your organization. You’ve got the tools, you know about the best practices, and you have templates coming out of your ears. Now what? What are the things that you must do to help your PMO grow into a change management powerhouse for your company?
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National Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations A Scalable and Sustainable Approach to Unlock University Resources
D Lib Magazine
Found this oldie but goodie from my early transformation work!
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PMO Strategies Newsletter
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Honors & Awards
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2021 World PMO Influencer
PMO Global Alliance
The only award of its kind, this award recognizes the global contributions to elevate and celebrate the PMO community.
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Hi, IMPACT Driver! When I first met Andrea Cirelli in 2018, she told me, "Laura, I've got my seat at the table, and I need to keep it!" Over the…
Hi, IMPACT Driver! When I first met Andrea Cirelli in 2018, she told me, "Laura, I've got my seat at the table, and I need to keep it!" Over the…
Shared by Laura Barnard, PMP, CAL, Prosci, IES
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Hi, IMPACT Driver! When I first met Andrea Cirelli in 2018, she told me, "Laura, I've got my seat at the table, and I need to keep it!" Over the…
Hi, IMPACT Driver! When I first met Andrea Cirelli in 2018, she told me, "Laura, I've got my seat at the table, and I need to keep it!" Over the…
Shared by Laura Barnard, PMP, CAL, Prosci, IES
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Andrea Cirelli is not just a leader but also a coach to fellow mastermind students. Hear how she is guiding other IMPACT Drivers toward the same…
Andrea Cirelli is not just a leader but also a coach to fellow mastermind students. Hear how she is guiding other IMPACT Drivers toward the same…
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🎉 Exciting news! Join me for an exclusive IMPACT Engine book workshop September 12! 🎉 This hands-on workshop is my way of thanking those who have…
🎉 Exciting news! Join me for an exclusive IMPACT Engine book workshop September 12! 🎉 This hands-on workshop is my way of thanking those who have…
Shared by Laura Barnard, PMP, CAL, Prosci, IES
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🔥 Become an IMPACT Insider! 🔥 Get a head start with my new book, The IMPACT Engine: Accelerating Strategy Delivery for PMO and Transformation…
🔥 Become an IMPACT Insider! 🔥 Get a head start with my new book, The IMPACT Engine: Accelerating Strategy Delivery for PMO and Transformation…
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