#161 | Vanilla PMO: From Chaos to Control

What’s the secret to building a successful PMO from scratch? Start with vanilla.

In this solo episode, I share a career’s worth of lessons on setting up a Project Management Office that delivers real value—right from day one. Just like vanilla is the foundation for the most creative ice cream flavors, a “vanilla PMO” provides the essential ingredients before layering on complexity.

With over 20 years of experience across industries, I unpack what a PMO actually does, why executive support is non-negotiable, and how to treat PMO implementation as its own strategic project. I reveal the five foundational capabilities every PMO must have—stakeholder management, planning and design, methodology frameworks, change management, and controls—and share a cautionary tale of a client drowning in 96 active projects without the resources to support them.

This episode is a must-listen for project professionals and leaders looking to avoid common PMO pitfalls. From balancing structure with flexibility, to managing first impressions that last, this is your blueprint for creating a PMO that’s lean, adaptive, and impactful.

In this episode, I cover:

0:00 Introduction to the Vanilla Concept
 4:52 Understanding PMO Purpose and Setup
 8:02 Five essential PMO Capabilities 
 15:28 Being Adaptive and Agile in PMO
 18:23 Final Thoughts and Recommendations
 And more…

Have you built a PMO from the ground up—or thinking about it? Tune in to learn how to create a solid foundation that supports growth, governance, and agility. Then, share your PMO wins or challenges—I’d love to hear your Agile Ideas.

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