Module 5

People, Skills & Culture

In this module you will look at how to develop capability, collaboration and leadership in a PMO.

Estimated study time: about 50 minutes. Suggested week: 5.

5.1 Capability development

Capability is what your PMO is able to do. Competency mapping shows where skills are strong and where they are missing:

• List the PMO roles you have, for example analyst, planner and manager.
• For each role, list the skills it needs.
• Rate current strength against each skill.
• Use the gaps to decide where to invest.

5.2 Learning and development pathways

Capability grows through a mix of routes: formal training, learning on the job, coaching and mentoring. Aligning training to continuing professional development (CPD) helps people record and recognise what they learn.

A development pathway shows each role how to progress. Where suitable courses do not exist, the PMO can develop its own learning content.

5.3 Culture and engagement

High-performing PMOs combine collaboration, leadership, a one-team culture and empowered delivery teams. Warning signs of a weak culture are hidden problems and blame.

• Coaching helps people develop their own answers.
• Mentoring connects people with experienced guidance.
• Shared goals, open reviews and leaders who model the behaviour they ask for all strengthen a one-team culture.

Key points

• Competency mapping shows skill strengths and gaps.
• Training, coaching and mentoring build long-term capability.
• A one-team culture needs shared goals, openness and visible leadership.

Activity: Capability

Create a PMO capability development plan.

• Choose three roles.
• For each, identify one skill gap.
• Agree one development action for each gap, with a date.

Write your answer in your own notes or learning journal. Use the ideas in this module to check your thinking.