ICPM

I want to suggest that there is an order to how you develop a PMO, and probably any organization, and the first step is getting the right people.  Then you develop the processes and then tools.  Of course this is an iterative process – not waterfall, but if you do not have the right people, forget it.

The right skill set is important, but that is very dependent on your situation and what you need.  I firmly believe that you can teach people almost anything in terms of skills, as long as they are the right people.  I think the right people for a PMO need to have a few important characteristics.

When I started my company, Journyx, 13 years ago, I had no idea what I was getting into.  I am a programmer and technology geek by nature and I left my programming job to start my own company with nothing but an idea and a dream. Back then, I did not have the experience needed to effectively manage people. I had to learn these skills through trial and error, and I had to learn them fast, in order to keep the company going.  After all, human resources are a company\'s most valuable asset.

Over the years, I have done every job there is in the company.  I’ve been the accountant, the software developer, the marketing and PR professional, the testing department, integration services, customer technical support and sales.  I have lost sleep when we were close to missing payroll, watched as competitors copied our software bit for bit and lied about us to prospects, and then celebrated along with hard-working employees as we achieved success.  Today, Journyx has 50 employees and several million dollars in sales with absolutely no outside investment.  Here are some of the things I learned along the way about managing and motivating employees to reach their highest potential.