2023 Summit Sessions

    Here’s what we covered at the September 2023 IMPACT Summit.  

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    Strategic portfolio management has gained a lot of attention in the last couple of years. But to avoid becoming just another temporary trend, it needs to evolve, and it needs to deliver success. In this presentation, Andy explores how that needs to happen, and what organizations can do to embrace it.

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    Components of portfolios typically provide status on the deliverables of their work. Rarely do they provide status on the benefits that they are delivering to the portfolio and organization which is what the stakeholders really want to know. Portfolio managers must show the value of their organization by translating project and program deliverable status into portfolio benefit delivery status. Attendees will learn how to translate project and program deliverable status into the benefit delivery information that stakeholders really want to see.

    Agenda for this session includes:

    - Definitions of benefits and enablement
    - Strategic Alignment
    - Translating the work into benefits & value

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    Join this session on project portfolio management improvement solutions and unlock the secrets to taking your projects to new heights. Learn how to measure, manage, and elevate your project portfolio’s maturity, while establishing a unified portfolio management office for a single source of truth. Discover the power of data-based decision-making, prioritize projects effectively for capital allocation, and mobilize project offices with utmost efficiency. Walk away equipped with the tools to maximize long-term value, align projects strategically, and make better, faster decisions for an unbeatable project portfolio.

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    PPM systems fail. Management expectations around “more transparency”, “faster strategy execution” or “increased efficiency” remain unmet.

    After working with 2000+ organizations around the world, the problem boils down to a simple fact: most PPM systems fail in producing the data needed to make meaningful decisions. AI won’t generate the data for you. Garbage in, Garbage out.

    But why is it so hard?

    The key lies in understanding that PPM systems are social systems with many stakeholders beyond executive management. Each stakeholder has personal cost/benefit considerations, every role needs to give - and be able to take.

    In this session, I’ll share our perspective on the different stakeholder groups, their expectations, and how to win them for your sustainable PPM system. So that as a PMO, you can reliably deliver on your promises.

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    According to Donna Fitzgerald, in reviewing over 1,000 PMOs… She has only witnessed maturity of a PMO increase at this rate one time in her career. Join Donna as she speaks with Jennie Fowler on a journey of evolving a Global Project Management Office in under two years.

    This session touches on:

    - What model was used to measure PPM maturity & how
    - Where did Jennie start & how did she get Executive buy-in
    - What speed bumps were encountered along the way
    - How often do you recommend performing a PPM maturity assessment
    - What’s next in Jennie’s journey

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    Business environments have become increasingly complex, requiring businesses to go beyond common project delivery methods and adopt more advanced adaptive measures. However, many projects today struggle to deliver on their promises, often focusing only on short-term results and losing sight of the bigger picture. 

    While the agility of delivery teams is important in volatile business environments, the fast pace of change calls for the ability to quickly adjust and make well-informed strategic judgments. The pandemic has emphasized the crucial role of speed in project success. 

    Data-driven agility is a management approach that combines data, analytics, agility, and innovation to help organizations adapt quickly, drive growth, and make informed decisions. It enhances project resilience, strategic alignment, and decision-making. 

    In this presentation, Marcus Glowasz will provide an overview of data-driven agility and practical tips for engaging with data-driven and evidence-based methods.

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    Strategic Luck
    Only a fool leaves their future to chance. Get ready to level up the luck in your organization and your life with the international bestselling author Jonathan Brill, whom HBR recently called, “The World’s Foremost Transformation Architect” and Forbes ranked as its #1 futurist.

    In this fun and compelling talk, Brill will unveil three competencies to maximize the likelihood of things working out and help you navigate the unpredictable waters we face today. You’ll learn to be even more adaptable, strategic, and collaborative – skills that can help you turn uncertainty into a strategic advantage. So, let’s get lucky! Join Brill and discover how to strategically create your own luck and thrive in our time of radical change.

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    Do your annual plans and goals fall short of success, each and every year, in some way? Does it take heroic efforts to wrangle the masses, to achieve all your dreams and milestones? Join our special guest speaker, Kevin D. Martin, to learn simple yet amazingly impactful solutions, to the complex and ever-changing chaos of the work we all do annually, to achieve success. Bring those difficult situations that frustrate and confound you, year after year.

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    In this engaging session, Dr. Mona Zoughaib, a renowned Project Management expert and speaker, will share valuable insights and practical strategies for unlocking PMO excellence and driving successful project delivery. Drawing from her extensive experience in the GCC and MENA region, Dr. Zoughaib will delve into the key factors that contribute to PMO success, including effective governance, strategic alignment, and fostering a culture of collaboration.

    In 'Tales from the Field: Illuminating PMO Practitioner Experiences', Dr. Mona Zoughaib draws from her significant tenure leading PMOs at esteemed organizations such as Fransabank and Middle East Airlines. She will share her unique journey, illuminating the successes, challenges, innovative solutions, and valuable lessons learned along the way. These insights will bring to life the realities of running a PMO, shedding light on the strategic decisions, adaptive leadership, and resilience required in such roles. This session promises to be an invaluable resource for both budding and seasoned PMO professionals, offering a rare glimpse into the first-hand experiences of a seasoned PMO leader.

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    This presentation will explore key considerations for managing mega-projects, including how to effectively align project goals with organizational strategy, what project management practices to implement, and the importance of managing change throughout the project lifecycle. We will discuss the importance of technical aspects of Project Management, like establishing a robust governance structure and defining clear project objectives to ensure that mega-projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to the required level of quality, but we will also examine the challenges of managing Change in mega-projects and explore strategies for effectively communicating with stakeholders, managing resistance, and ensuring that project outcomes remain aligned with organizational goals in an ever changing business environment.

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    In 2021, the American Planning Association decided to train a cohort of project managers to carry out the Board of Directors’ top priorities, with a framework of a lot of legacy processes and operational baggage. Over the next two years, the organization managed to re-set the Board’s expectations about what could be accomplished, and focus on transforming how the staff team collaborated with each other.

    Mike is one of the many IMPACT Engine System and IMPACT Accelerator Mastermind program participants speaking this year. Don’t miss this stellar session where you’ll see just how much IMPACT these programs have helped our participants make over the years.

    We are so incredibly proud of Mike!

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    In this webinar, you’ll: 

    Learn how to deliver strategic value in your organization 

    Discover the key to leadership competencies and behaviors for strategic leadership as a PM 

    Gain insights into strategic approaches in the digital world 

    Unpack the secrets to leading successfully as a strategic leader 

    Discover new findings on how AI can help you deliver value in your organizations.

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    We often hear Project Management Office (PMO) leaders lamenting, "Despite my best efforts, I can't seem to improve project management." Equally, senior executives voice their concerns saying, "Even after implementing a PMO, our delivery capabilities haven't improved." It's indeed frustrating. The advent of Agile promised a panacea, but senior leaders are now knocking at our door saying, "After investing millions and restructuring into smaller teams and value streams, the situation has worsened - only costs have increased!"

    The crux of the issue is that most PMOs don't make a significant impact. They focus on promoting processes, methods, and generating reports, attempting to enforce governance - but there's a lack of genuine value creation. This core value creation remains the prerogative of those who handle Profit & Loss responsibilities. Agile is doing the same – just with more costs.

    It's simple - if you're not adding value, you won't be valued. Without being valued, your capacity to effect meaningful change diminishes drastically.

    The mandate for PMOs is clear - they need to offer a unique value, something unparalleled within the organization. But the million-dollar question remains - what could that unique value be?

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    Discover the transformative potential of strategic project management in this engaging session. In this interview, Willetta will share her role, challenges, and "ah-ha" moments that she's learned helping her organization deliver on strategy. In this session, you'll learn the keys to their success and gain valuable insights for your own journey.

    Willetta is one of the many IMPACT Engine System and IMPACT Accelerator Mastermind program participants speaking this year. Don't miss this stellar session where you'll see just how much IMPACT these programs have helped our participants make over the years.

    We are so incredibly proud of Willetta!

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    By methodically putting equal emphasis on the hard and soft elements of leading change, organizations can more than double their odds of success (Colin Price & Scott Keller – Beyond Performance 2019)

    Transformation through Design Thinking: ensuring business objectives are achieved by collaboratively designing and implementing a strategy with customers and employees.

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    Artificial intelligence (AI) is finally coming into its own. Technologies such as ChatGPT, DALL-E, driver-assistance, and autonomous robots are clear signs of an AI-driven market shift. AI technologies, in particular machine learning (ML), are being applied in all sectors of the economy. Your organization is likely to soon be running projects to apply and even develop AI if it isn’t already doing so. Are you ready?

    This talk overviews AI and how AI/ML initiatives work. We also explore several critical challenges, including the experimental nature of AI initiatives, that data quality is critical to your success, the high failure rate of AI initiatives, and the ethical considerations surrounding AI. We examine the implications of these challenges and work through strategies to address them.

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    Digital transformation is a marathon, not a sprint. Companies that embed technologies across their businesses to drive fundamental change require a firm understanding of their people, process, and technology.

    What is the benefit of these efforts? Increased efficiency, greater business agility, and unlocking new value for employees, customers, and shareholders.

    Join us at the June Dinner Meeting to hear Francisco Avalos share strategies, protocols, recommendations, and research on digital transformation in the workforce today. You will have the opportunity to engage with both your peers and the speaker as you learn the fundamentals and the foundational structure required to Execute Digital Transformation Projects within your organization.

    Learning Objectives:

    Identify and describe key transformation concepts.
    Describe what drives transformation and why transformation competencies are critical to business success.
    Identify transformation challenges and success factors that may impact an organization’s ability to design and implement transformation.

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    For many organizations, getting reliable resource estimates for upcoming projects can be a lengthy, burdensome process. Often many busy, senior resources are solicited for inputs into the estimates which can cause delays in getting the estimates or take valuable resource away from higher priority work. This presentation will demonstrate a technique that organizations can apply to significantly reduce the need for manual inputs and help generate estimates more quickly.

    Sara is one of the many IMPACT Engine System and IMPACT Accelerator Mastermind program participants speaking this year. Don’t miss this stellar session where you’ll see just how much IMPACT these programs have helped our participants make over the years.

    We are so incredibly proud of Sara!

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    Project Managers are frustrated. Organizations have more work than ever and traditionally planned strategies aren't working or aren't prioritized. The Process Alchemist strategy unleashes efficiency for your team by creating a hybrid project management methodology to increase efficiency, enable accurate delivery, and reduce frustration across the project team. Ashleigh will detail how to create this strategy she has successfully implemented over the last 6 years to effectively intake, plan, prioritize, execute, and close out your project. The best part: this process is flexible enough to meet changing needs and can be repeated across teams, organizations, and industries.

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    Most project management approaches incorporate a lessons learned activity. But many organisations do little more than document experience and file it on a shelf, which is less like lessons learned and more like lessons identified, or even worse, lessons ignored. 

    Some people in the PM community think lessons learned is so broken it’s not worth doing. Ken Burrell thinks there is still value to be had, with the application of some pragmatic primping. 

    This session (based on his book) looks at how organisations learn from projects, how it goes wrong, and offers some ways to fend off failures.

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    During the journey to create the Influential PMO YouTube channel, Stuart identified some interesting similarities to how social media content is created and how projects are managed.  He also observed that whilst some project management approaches can help content creators; he also captured the skills and approaches used every day by content creators that would improve how we work in the project management.  This presentation shares those lessons with you.

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    As the project economy continues to grow rapidly, the importance of PMO organizations becomes increasingly more visible. PMO organizations are the enablers of both a company’s vision and its successful execution. Depending on the level of maturity of a company and their PMO practices and considering the quick changes companies go through regularly to stay relevant, it is expected to see discrepancies between vision and execution. This lack of alignment is what we call PMyOpia.

    During this session, we will discuss how to diagnose this condition that can affect PMOs of all sizes and experience. We will look at three key areas in which PMO organizations play a critical role: Execution, Enablement and Reporting. After looking at examples to illustrate the symptoms, we will discuss best practices and methodologies available to curb the effects of this condition. Specifically we will discuss how using Objective Key Results (OKRs), gated processes and scoring can help translate vision into tangible execution guidance.

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    More sessions are being added each week until the summit in September!

    In an ever-changing world, countless PMO leaders face the challenge of rethinking their PMOs to ensure they deliver genuine value to the C-level and their organizations. Numerous solutions claim to offer the perfect PMO model, a magic pill for guaranteed success. However, hands-on experience in the PMO trenches reveals that returning to the basics and concentrating on what truly matters is the key to making our PMO's value recognized and ensuring its sustainability and future.

    In the last few years, Americo Pinto has been granted the unique opportunity to closely observe the evolution of hundreds of PMOs from various countries as members of the PMO Global Alliance – the largest PMO community worldwide. In his engaging session, he will share valuable insights gleaned from this extraordinary learning experience, inspiring you to reassess your assumptions and ideas on how to make your PMO indispensable to your organization.

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    The Benefits Management Office is the next-generation Strategic, Transformation, Vision, and Enterprise Management Office; The BMO focuses on the organization, and how projects serve operational excellence and successful transformations with sustainable impact. The BMO provides the following functions/benefits for the organization:

    - Concentrating on strategy implementation
    - Enhancing governance, sponsorship, steering committee accountabilities, and roles.
    - Integrating projects and operations to break silos
    - Leading success of organizational, cultural, and digital transformation
    - Achieving sustainable impact, growth, and higher ROI

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    PMOs aren't just cost centers, they're strategic enablers for their organizations. In fact, if leveraged smartly, they can support their organizations through economic downturns and fortify them for strong post-recession performance. This presentation makes a clear case for PMOs' role in this capacity and shows exactly what PMOs must do to execute this role to perfection.

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    Anne's presentation covers the core focus of one of AH Consulting's six solution pathways: AH VMO - a framework ("VMO Hub") to elevate the role of the Project Management Office to a Value Management Office and institutionalize value creation and delivery across the organization.

    This presentation begins with a context-setting story about when and why value management became a practice focus for Anne and AH Consulting. It first covers limitations associated with the ‘project’ metaphor and traditional PMOs that a value-aligned approach addresses. Next, the audience is introduced to value stream management constructs, connection to ‘project-to-product’ orientation, flow framework and metrics practices, and Lean/Agile alignment. Anne finishes with the introduction of the VMO Hub conceptual framework and thoughts on possible next steps to further consider how this transition can benefit the organization with ideas on approach. The presentation also contains links to selected and recommended resources Anne used in its creation.

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    Join industry leader Erick Means in an engaging session as he shares insights and best practices on building a high-performing PMO. With his extensive experience as a PMO, Technology, and Professional Services Executive overseeing 15,000 projects, Erick brings a wealth of knowledge in optimizing processes, driving successful initiatives, and delivering measurable results. Discover the key strategies and practical tips to establish and elevate your PMO for enhanced performance and organizational success. Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights from a seasoned expert in project management and PMO transformation.

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    How to bridge the gap of your PMO reputation as a tactical IT organization to being an impactful business organization!

    In this session, you will learn how Curtis Jenkins developed a strategy with his talented team and the 5 major tactics used to go from an IT PMO to an Enterprise PMO that is sought out as the “go-to” organization for projects at his company. Curtis believes that if he had known these major tactics when he started 9 years ago that he could have taken 1-2 years to bring the PMO to an EPMO vs the 5 years it took to mature to the level of executive leadership and participation.

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    Products and Projects cost money to deliver. Yet most project, program, product leaders feel disconnected from the financial equation that drives our initiatives. Ironically, executives feeling pressure to report an ROI on their initiatives will look to us for answers. And we owe it to them, our stakeholders - and ourselves - to have reasonable answers.

    This may sound unfair & dysfunctional, but agile product management pioneer Luke Hohmann says the 21st century has made this is OUR job. This hard-hitting interview will ask tough questions like: Why should I shoulder financial responsibilities owned by someone higher up the organization? How can I juggle getting things done while also owning the business case? Doesn't profit involve revenue? And doesn't revenue involve pricing? How do I make this all fit together?

    Where should I even begin?

    Whether you are an agile product owner or a senior program manager, this provocative session will challenge your assumptions about your role.

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    Most of the critical future of work changes can be clustered into themes: project management as a strategic muscle, role of project managers changes, the project economy, and balance between transparency and autonomy in experience cultures.  As such, the landscape is changing and the ten pillars of project management have emerged. These critical ten pillars in the work of this author, with Kerzner and Vargas, will influence project management for the next decade and the performance of future excellent organizations.

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    More sessions are being added each week until the summit in September!

    Despite the research showing coaching to be a powerful tool for developing sustainable change capability in the people of an organisation, it remains one of the most underutilised and misunderstood skill sets. This workshop equips you and your managers with coaching basics to embed change capability within your organisation, ensuring understanding, involvement, and proactive focus in change. Avoiding a dependency culture on leaders who provide all the answers or painful tactics of coercion, coaching instead empowers change leaders at all levels. Coaching, distinct from mentoring or consulting, supports individuals to process situations and make their own decisions, fostering greater investment in their actions. The workshop and workbook offer practical guidance for integrating coaching skills into everyday conversations for successful change, including identifying resistance sources, assessing involvement levels, using essential coaching questions, and enabling individuals to manage their own transition through change.

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    The CQ® System for Developing Change Intelligence® was launched a decade ago. Since then, the approach has helped tens of thousands of people and hundreds of organizations around lead through changes ranging from the pandemic to digital transformation to shifting workplace demographics. What have we learned? The answer is a great many lessons, which are directly applicable to the IMPACT audience, spanning from engaging sponsors and stakeholders, to creating change-capable cultures, to bolstering our own influence and power to make a positive difference. Join us for a provocative conversation, dynamic insights, and actionable implications that will benefit your organization, team, and career.

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    Shockingly, 11.4% of company investment is still being wasted due to poor project performance. This means that more than 2 trillion a year is wasted by companies worldwide because of the ineffective implementation of business strategy. The reality is that we have spent so much time focused on choosing the right framework or methodology to address projects when the real cracks in the process are related to our project teams and people. For a project to be successful, we need people to implement behavioral and organizational change, which is often overlooked.

    But let’s be honest. Ensuring that you have fully thought through the impact of projects on your teams, leaders and clients before your big kick-off meeting sounds strenuous and time consuming – and is about as exciting as watching paint dry to your project team and business leaders. However, what IS exciting is having a successful, impactful project which transforms your organization coupled with a comprehensive change management plan so that that transformation sticks! This means implementing activities that get results which are meaningful, measurable, monetizable and lead to less rework.

    Join 23-year project management and change management expert Candice Benson, CEO of Benson Consulting, to focus on a new approach to driving projects aligned with the motivations of your people. For more than two decades, Candice has been in the trenches helping organizations like Pfizer, Fidelity, and Comcast and a who’s who of industry-defining brands to think differently about how they approach project delivery.

    In this common-wisdom busting session, Candice will share just-in-time insights, including:
    ● The surprising data that undermines the status quo belief that building a robust training approach is the best way to ensure adoption of the change your project is driving.
    ● 3 Warning signs that the cracks in your projects are about to lead to burn-out, frustration and missed deliverables.
    ● 3 “Champions” you need to identify on your project team, as well as how to empower them, equip them, and amplify them, if you want your project to be successful.
    ● The road-tested framework every organization needs to ensure their projects not only deliver on time, on scope and on budget but that the changes are adopted.
    ● Real-world examples of organizations which are putting these strategies into action, and the biggest lessons learned, regrets, and pay-it-forward advice.

    This must-attend session is custom-crafted for Project Managers, PMO managers, and other leaders who have a vested interest in ensuring their organization’s project investment is not wasted.

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    Building organisational change maturity is a topic relevant for all organisational units initiating change, the Strategic PMO is no exception. An organisation's change maturity will greatly impact its ability to transform at the speeds needed to stay relevant in these fast-moving times. By assessing an organisation's Change maturity with a model gaging level of Change maturity ‘as is’ factors related to levels in the organisation and actionable growth areas, we can support organisations to understand their Change maturity level, and how to develop this alongside tailoring the approach to value creation for increased return on investment. Further still, a model that can be extended into a framework will be even more supportive to organisations seeking to effectively reaching strategic goals and outcomes. From recent research, there are two main types of maturity we should consider. The first is the actual ability of an organisation to change, to agilely move with the needs of the time. By creating a holistic picture of different types of change in an organisation, we open up options for strategic choice and best transformation path development. The second is the maturity of key disciplines that both initiate change and need to remain adaptable, often calling for a higher level of maturity. examples of these disciplines could be project management, data or quality management. The outcome of this research was a model to manage the change capability and a framework prototype that could unite the various types of discipline maturity in one overview for gathering insights and diagnosing next steps.

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    Clarity of intention is critical to delivering successful projects. Everyone involved - business sponsors/managers and project delivery specialists - must be on the same page to succeed. This requires a Shared Language of Agreement that define the Desired Outcomes - what the future looks like when it is working just right.

    This presentation will explain simple techniques to quickly enable everyone involved in the delivery process to merge the different pictures in their heads to a single one where everyone can see the overall picture and where their own contribution fits.

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    The Response Factor is the fastest way to stay on track for sustainable performance. Instead of reacting to change and uncertainty you learn how to take response-ability and be in control of your mental and emotional resilience. In this keynote participants will learn to focus, be calm and confident to take on challenges.

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    After 20 years in the industry, working in several positions, projects, and companies all related to PM, QA, CM, and lastly as Head of PMO, Gregor has found himself struggling to hold together the project execution portfolio and satisfy all PMO stakeholders, especially the discordant expectations of different sponsors.

    He quit the job from an unhealthy environment, as he now knows, it was, and started to learn, investing heavily in himself. “Well, that was the best decision ever.”

    Gregor started his own Freelance PMO Consulting business to be the help and support he has never found in Slovenia. The trigger was based on the PMO Strategies IMPACT Engine System Program/IMPACT Accelerator Mastermind group with Laura Barnard, which he joined. He experienced so many aha moments when connecting new knowledge with his former experiences and got all the needed tools and peer support that he can now use and pass on to his clients.

    His biggest challenge, passion, and satisfaction lie in helping organizations and people overcome change blocks while reaching the highest possible value in business strategy execution. When building or transforming a PMO, people need to go through cultural change, from operations to PM/PMO, and finally to a business mindset by overcoming Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement of the new way of working (ADKAR – Change Management model).

    Gregor is one of the many IMPACT Engine System and IMPACT Accelerator Mastermind program participants speaking this year. Don’t miss this stellar session where you’ll see just how much IMPACT these programs have helped our participants make over the years.

    We are so incredibly proud of Gregor!

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    Change is constant and if you’re not ahead of it, you’re behind it. This session dives into how PMO leaders can become catalyst for successful organizational change with insight-led decision making to drive value and mitigate risk. See how project portfolio management software can help bridge the execution gap between strategic decisions making and project activity in real-time, enabling successful organizational change programs. Organizational synchronization is key to ensuring business value is delivered and organizational change programs are executed seamlessly. Become a catalyst for organizational change by leveraging the power of insight-led PPM software.

    Concepts like resource, portfolio, and project management aren't new. Napoleon Bonaparte mastered all three more than 200 years ago. Based on Jerry’s international bestseller “Napoleon on Project Management,” this lively session will explore how to apply Napoleon's timeless strategies to your own PMO.

    Gain the ultimate business advantage through this colorful approach to learning the skills needed for success in today’s workplace.

    – Learn to apply Napoleon’s research, record-keeping, and organization methods to your PMO initiatives for better results.
    – Gain an upper hand by understanding the dynamic between project management and strategic leadership.
    – Learn to apply the wisdom of this military leader in your own personal and professional spheres of influence -- while avoiding the pitfalls that led to Waterloo.

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    We tend to think about motivation in terms of carrots and sticks - forms of external motivation. Motivating knowledge workers requires tapping into their internal motivators - striving for autonomy, mastery, and purpose. We'll describe ways of engaging those often hard to identify motivators and talk about how the focus for intrinsic motivation changes across generations and experience level.

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    PMOs continue to be challenged about where they add value to change delivery and the organisation, and despite of that, more and more PMOs are being set up in organisations, they’re becoming ubiquitous, so how can that be?

    In this session, Eileen Roden from the House of PMO, uncover where the real value of the PMO is and address the elephant in the room – the friction that exists between the PMO and delivery teams.

    The session will cover:

    The potential for friction between the PMO and delivery teams
    What the underlying causes are for why the friction exists
    How to work with the friction and how friction helps deliver higher value for everyone involved in change delivery

    Attendees will leave the session with an understanding of what both sides are there to do – and how they can work together so everyone is a winner – the PMO, delivery teams and ultimately the organisation.

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    Storytelling is a skill that has been getting a lot of press lately and one that PMO/SDO leaders and project managers will benefit from cultivating. In this unique session, international speaker, Dawn Mahan, will share several stories from her upcoming book: Welcome to Projectland.

    Dawn’s stories from her years of working with top brands around the world and hands-on experience leading projects across industries will resonate with everyone who has ever participated in or led a project.

    This interactive experience will also get you thinking about your own career stories that can help amplify your leadership profile.

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    This is a recorded demo of a coaching session with PM Leader, Dawn Mahan.

    As an audience member, you will experience a real coaching session live and others will see how coaching can help be a better project leader. The topic that we explore was chosen by our sample client Dawn.

    Coaching sessions are usually confidential. Dawn Mahan gave permission for this session to be recorded and shared as part of the Impact Summit.

    The presentation will shed lights on the significance and benefits of ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) in today’s world, in order to work towards sustainability development goals and save the planet for future generations.

    Moreover, this presentation will coin the term “Green PMO”, as it will illustrate 3 workable models to integrate ESG into PMO practices

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    We all have a story of our attempts, setbacks and failures. In this discussion, Paul will delve into his own. From moving cities to quitting without another role and taking 6 months off to find himself.

    This session is an honest and humorous reflection on where he’s been and what it took to get to where he is now – an opportunity to commiserate or celebrate his experience.

    It’s not all stories though he’ll share a practical process he uses now which he wishes he knew before.

    And at Laura’s request, he’s also going to let you in on little something he calls the PMO Hokey Pokey.

    Paul is one of the many IMPACT Engine System and IMPACT Accelerator Mastermind program participants speaking this year. Don’t miss this stellar session where you’ll see just how much IMPACT these programs have helped our participants make over the years.

    We are so incredibly proud of Paul!

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    Susanne has first-hand experience of how stressful project management can be. As a result of working in a high-pressure environment for several years, her body became infested with stress to the point where she could barely walk. She was forced to slow down and make some important changes in her work and life.  

    Susanne’s story is not unusual. Almost all project managers have experienced stress on their projects and far too many suffer from ill health as a result. Whereas short bursts of stress can have a positive effect on performance, prolonged stress is harmful and can cause burnout. In this presentation Susanne will share her personal story and provide tips and insights that can help you stay clear of negative stress and work within your zone of peak performance.

    Susanne’s presentation will help you to:

    Balance positive and negative stress
    Avoid chronic stress that can lead to burn-out
    Understand why you are prone to overworking yourself
    Set boundaries and deal with challenging client behaviour
    Respond appropriately to situations as opposed to over-reacting
    Develop skills that lead to more productive thoughts and habits
    Increase your wellbeing as a project and change manager 

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    More sessions are being added each week until the summit in September!

    As a PMO leader, are you struggling to build strategic influence with executives and earn that coveted “seat at the table”? This hands-on workshop provides frameworks and techniques to enhance your visibility, strengthen executive relationships, and position your PMO as a value-driving partner in advancing organizational strategy.

    In this session, you’ll learn:

    A framework for defining and tracking PMO metrics that clearly communicate value and IMPACT to leadership teams.
    Relationship-building strategies to become a trusted advisor to executives and leaders across the organization.
    Tactics for enhancing your team’s visibility and participation in key strategic initiatives and decisions.
    Approaches for evolving your services and offerings to directly enable business objectives and address pain points.

    The workshop format allows you to apply these concepts through hands-on exercises. You’ll leave with a tailored plan for increasing your team’s strategic influence and accelerating your IMPACT over the next 1-2 years.

    Everyone wants to be agile these days. But it's hard to know where to begin, and what pitfalls to avoid. That's why the role of Agile Coach is a hot career trend these days. Unfortunately, understanding the role is just as hard as the agile thing itself. What do they even do? What skills are required? How do we know they're actually helping? Whether you are interested in becoming an Agile Coach or simply hiring one, this session is for you.

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    Recent research has found the Agile movement has overlooked diversity, equity, and inclusion for the last several decades, leaving many people behind. Why? Weren’t Agile methods supposed to emphasize empowerment and collaboration for everyone? Why are women and people of color not getting the same experiences as others? and what should we do about it on our teams and in our organizations? In this provocative interview, Apriel Biggs shares trends, insights, and actions for adding more equity to your agility.

    Apriel is one of the many IMPACT Engine System and IMPACT Accelerator Mastermind program participants speaking this year. Don’t miss this stellar session where you’ll see just how much IMPACT these programs have helped our participants make over the years.

    We are so incredibly proud of Apriel!

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    Join us to level up your personal leadership – as a leader with more self-awareness, situational adaptiveness, balanced presence, and power, "Unlocking the Full Potential for Women in Agile Leadership: Strategies for Personal Growth and Development"  

    In this interview, we will explore various strategies and techniques for women to unlock their full potential in achieving personal growth and development. We will discuss the importance of setting clear goals, identifying strengths and weaknesses of societal habits, and how to start to develop a growth mindset. We will also share tips for staying motivated and overcoming obstacles along the way. Whether you are looking to improve your career as a woman in leadership, relationships with other women in your organization, or your personal well-being, this interview will provide you with practical tools and insights for reaching your full potential. So join us on this journey of self-discovery and transformation! 

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    It’s all the rage these days for executives to declare “We need to do more with less and do it fast”. Then, they’ll declare that our job now involves driving agile-at-scale, by the end of the year. It’s hard to argue with the drivers. Who do we involve now versus later? From among all our departments, where do we begin? How do we choose from over a dozen competing scaling frameworks? Why aren’t we making progress? Indeed, how do we even know when we’re making progress?

    In this energetic session, you’ll get insights on the hot trend of “agile transformation” that will move you from confused to confident.

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    For many executives, Agile methods are fundamentally about "going faster" or "doing more with less".  This leaves many teams and professionals in an Agile workplace that is fundamentally more toxic and more prone to burnout. 

    How did this happen? Wasn't it a key principle of the Agile movement to pursue sustainable pace? Weren't we promised a people-centric office?  

    Join us for a compelling discussion on what went wrong, and how we can restore more balance to our work.

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    More sessions are being added each week until the summit in September!

    Join us for a lively discussion with the 2022 PMOGA PMO Influencer of the Year Semi-Finalists answering all of your questions on how to make the biggest IMPACT with your PMO, transformation, or strategy delivery office.

    PMOs as Strategic Drivers: Unlocking Greater Business Value

    Project management offices (PMOs) play an integral role in executing project delivery and operations. But how can PMOs elevate their IMPACT to drive greater strategic value? This dynamic panel explores ways PMOs can go beyond project administration to become true strategic partners.

    Key discussion points include:

    • What are the biggest opportunities for PMOs to influence strategy and not just deliver projects?
    • How can PMOs align with and support overall business goals rather than work in isolation?
    • What skills and capabilities do PMO leaders need to provide strategic value?

    Join us as our expert panel shares insights and advice for empowering PMOs to partner with business leaders, influence strategic decisions, and unlock the next level of value and organizational impact. The future role of PMOs demands it – are you ready to transform your PMO into a strategic powerhouse?

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    Join us for a lively discussion with the 2022 PMOGA PMO Influencer of the Year Semi-Finalists answering all of your questions on how to make the biggest IMPACT with your PMO, transformation, or strategy delivery office.

    Exploring the Evolving Value of PMOs

    Project management offices (PMOs) have grown beyond their traditional tactical focus to become strategic assets that drive organizational success. But does “strategic value” remain an empty buzzword or can PMOs truly demonstrate business impact? This candid panel explores the changing role of PMOs, especially in large enterprises.

    Key questions include:

    • Is “strategic value” real or a fad when it comes to PMOs?
    • How do specialized PMOs like Strategic Management Offices and Transformation Offices differ from traditional PMOs? Why do they exist and how do they interact?
    • Most importantly, how can PMOs showcase value to executives in tangible, meaningful metrics?

    Join us for a thought-provoking discussion as our panel of PMO experts and leaders delves into these critical issues shaping the future of project management offices and their perceived value within organizations.

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    CAUTION!
    THIS WILL BE VERY DIFFERENT THAN YOUR TYPICAL Q&A DISCUSSION…we're all about real talk and truth bombs you may not hear anywhere else!

    Do you remember back in the good old days when we used to sit around a pub or coffee shop with some of your colleagues talking about what it’s really like to work in PMOs? That’s what this is like, but virtual.

    We’ll have some fun, answer your questions, and talk about what it’s really like to be in PMOs and project management. Bring your favorite cocktail, mocktail, coffee, or tea, and kick your feet up as you learn a little and laugh a little more!

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    Asking the right questions gets people to think deeply, challenge their own assumptions and reach good decisions. As a PMO, the ability to ask powerful questions is a core skill which can significantly amplify the value of the services you offer. This presentation looks at the skill of not only asking powerful questions, it will also shine the spotlight on the complementary skill of active listening.
    Using real PMO examples I will explore some of the theory and directs benefits of using these skills effectively. Don’t underestimate the power of the ‘soft’ stuff. Let’s get back to basics and remind ourselves how we can make good PMO great.

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    Most PMOs have too many projects and this causes failure, delay, frustration, and endless chaos.
    Bring your sleuthing skills as we unravel the root causes of this crime.
    Together we will solve the mystery of how to prevent “too many projects” from happening to you.
    Like Sherlock Holmes we will base our investigation on real science and on research into human behavior, allowing us to banish this project serial killer forever.

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