The Mirror and the Megaphone

What the PMO Owes the Organization's Project Executive Sponsors

Ask a group of seasoned project managers what makes the biggest difference in getting a project successfully across the line, and most won’t say tools, frameworks, or even team dynamics. They’ll say: the executive sponsor.

Interestingly, ask those same PMs what’s most often missing when things go sideways? The answer’s the same.

Anecdotally, the biggest gap project managers face isn’t just time, budget, or scope. It’s sponsorship that’s unclear, unavailable, or unprepared. In cases where sponsors are ineffective, it’s not because they are intentionally absent, it’s because they just haven’t been equipped with the example or support to lead well.

That’s where the PMO comes in.

Accountability Needs Infrastructure

As I wrote earlier this week, only one role owns project outcomes: the sponsor. They carry the risk, fund the effort, and ultimately own success or failure.

The Project Manager on the other hand leads delivery while the PMO supports consistency. But only the sponsor can make the decisions that move mountains, or stop them from falling.

The PMI PMO Practice Guide makes this clear: the PMO is not a replacement for the sponsor. It’s an enabler, a guide and a governance partner. One of the most important services a PMO can provide is to support sponsor performance through clarity, cadence, and visibility.

Doing so means that the PMO is able to set the stage for the sponsors to lead effectively.

The Four Levers PMOs Can Use

As I reflect on what the PMO Practice Guide has to offer and compare my own RapidStartPMO model, I see four practical ways the PMO can reinforce sponsor accountability without crossing the line of project ownership.

1. Governance. PMOs need to build the organizational rhythm and governance forums to support sponsors in effective and timely decision-making. Doing so requires overcoming the perception of bureaucracy which sometimes happens and setting the right type of expectations for sponsor involvement before it’s needed. The sponsor’s role has to be visible in the project architecture and has to be distinct from that of the Project Manager.

2. Visibility. Going beyond the fluff and the pursuit of flash, the PMO needs to ensure that organizational dashboards speak the sponsor’s language. This is both from a business perspective as well as an executive perspective. By showing potential roadblocks and explaining the impact to the organization’s business, decision-making can focus on action rather than navel-gazing. When sponsors can see their responsibilities, they’re more likely to step in.

3. Escalation. Through escalate, done without ego, the PMO should raise flags early, clearly, and respectfully. This is not to say that the PMO is taking over the Project Manager’s job. Here the PM and the PMO should work in concert. When certain issues are more institutional and systematic beyond the project, the PM is not able to facilitate resolution on his or her own. That’s where the PMO can step in to engage the project sponsor and the broader executive team in identifying the issue and facilitating it’s resolution. The PMO’s job isn’t to fix it but to create the conditions where the issue is seen clearly and discussed appropriately.

4. Coaching. Many sponsors are brilliant operators but first-time sponsors. The PMO can play a quiet, powerful role by preparing them for what’s coming. The PMO can provide pre-reads, offer context, and help them understand the stakes. Sponsors lead more effectively when the PMO helps clear the fog.

Mirror and Megaphone

The best metaphor for this role that I can think of is that of the mirror and megaphone.

The PMO can act as a mirror to reflect reality in an honest and unflinching way. Additionally, the PMO can be a megaphone to ensure that what matters more gets heard, up and down the chain.

It is important to note though that the mirror doesn’t carry the weight and the megaphone doesn’t decide. Those accountabilities reside with the sponsor.

Help Them Lead

When sponsors lead, projects move. But leadership doesn’t happen in a vacuum. The PMO’s role is to make sure the sponsor has the visibility, cadence, and support to lead well. This enables the PMO to be seen as a valued service provider as opposed to interfering bureaucrat.

What’s one thing your PMO does to keep sponsors engaged after kickoff? Drop a tip, a tactic, or a tough lesson learned.