The battle for PMO relevance has never been more challenging. In this essential conversation, we explore what it takes to make enterprise portfolio management successful beyond frameworks and templates. Our guest, Ryan Chaffey, Divisional Manager of the Enterprise PMO at Yarra Valley Water, brings a powerful perspective to the discussion, drawing on his extensive background in steering strategic planning, portfolio management, and governance frameworks across various industries, including Telecommunications, Financial Services, Entertainment, Education, and the Public Sector.

Ryan shares his journey from Chartered Accountant to PMO leader, explaining how his financial expertise, reinforced by his CPA and PMP certifications, naturally bridges the gap between strategy, finance, and delivery. We unpack his "Holy Trinity" concept of alignment, explore why organisations often struggle with benefits realisation (hint: 90% a cultural problem), and examine the political realities of project prioritisation and the essential role of psychological safety in governance frameworks.

Beyond his leadership at Yarra Valley Water, Ryan has spent three years leading the AIPM PMO Community of Practice, working to establish it as the premier PMO network in Australia, recognised for delivering high-quality professional development content. His wealth of experience in capital budgeting, strategic planning, and enterprise portfolio management shines through as we delve into practical insights, such as "Minimum Viable Governance," overcoming capability gaps in PPM tool rollouts, and building accountability systems that genuinely work. Whether you’re establishing a PMO, revitalising one, or seeking to connect portfolios to business outcomes better, this episode delivers real-world strategies you can apply immediately. Connect with Ryan Chaffey on LinkedIn to continue learning from his expertise across multiple transformation contexts.

In this episode, we discuss:

• 0:00 Personal Life and Work Updates
• 14:03 Ryan's Journey to PMO Leadership
• 21:15 Communicating PMO Value to Executives
• 27:06 Turning Strategy into Actionable Programs
• 32:10 Benefits Realisation Challenges
• 38:49 Project Prioritisation and Governance
• 44:45 Stopping Proj

Support the show

Thank you for listening to Agile Ideas! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might benefit from our discussions. Remember to rate us on your preferred podcast platform and follow us on social media for updates and more insightful content.

Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd really appreciate it if you could share it with your friends and rate us. Let's spread the #AgileIdeas together!

We'd like to hear any feedback. www.agilemanagementoffice.com/contact

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You can also find us on most social media channels by searching 'Agile Ideas'.

Follow me, your host, on LinkedIn - go to Fatimah Abbouchi - www.linkedin.com/in/fatimahabbouchi/

For all things Agile Ideas and to stay connected, visit our website below. It's your one-stop destination for all our episodes, blogs, and more. We hope you found today's episode enlightening. Until next time, keep innovating and exploring new Agile Ideas!


Learn more about podcast host Fatimah Abbouchi
...

Career disaster strikes in the most unexpected moments—ask Guy Thorpe. Two weeks after receiving Employee of the Year honors at a major life insurance company, he held a pink slip after an organizational restructuring. This shocking pivot catalysed an entrepreneurial journey that would transform his professional path.

Guy's candid conversation reveals how being viewed as "just another cost center" pushed him to launch Value Key Consulting. His transition from corporate employee to successful consultant offers a masterclass in resilience and strategic career planning.

The episode covers critical insights for both project professionals and entrepreneurs. Guy shares his early mistakes and the systems he developed for consistently generating client work. Project professionals will appreciate Guy's concept of treating your career as your most valuable project. Whether you're recovering from a career setback, considering entrepreneurship, or looking to elevate your project management impact, this conversation offers both practical advice and inspirational perspective. What career disaster might become your greatest opportunity?

In this episode, Guy and I discussed:

• 1:15 Guy's Story: From Award Winner to Redundancy
• 5:10 Starting a Consulting Business After Corporate
• 11:37 Balancing Business Operations and Client Delivery
• 18:40 Treating Your Career as a Project
• 29:54 Managing HiPPOs and PMO Strategic Evolution
• 44:49 Power Skills in the Age of AI
• And more...

Guy and I discussed the following books:

• The Trusted Advisor Book
• What colour is your parachute book

This podcast is sponsored by Agile Management Office (www.agilemanagementoffice.com), providing high-impact delivery execution in an agile era for scaling businesses.

Thank you for listening to this podcast. We welcome any feedback. www.agilemanagementoffice.com/contact

Make sure you subscribe to our newsletter to receive access to special events, checklists, and blogs that are not available everywhere. www.agilemanag

Support the show

Thank you for listening to Agile Ideas! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might benefit from our discussions. Remember to rate us on your preferred podcast platform and follow us on social media for updates and more insightful content.

Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd really appreciate it if you could share it with your friends and rate us. Let's spread the #AgileIdeas together!

We'd like to hear any feedback. www.agilemanagementoffice.com/contact

Don't miss out on exclusive access to special events, checklists, and blogs that are not available everywhere. Subscribe to our newsletter now at www.agilemanagementoffice.com/subscribe.

You can also find us on most social media channels by searching 'Agile Ideas'.

Follow me, your host, on LinkedIn - go to Fatimah Abbouchi - www.linkedin.com/in/fatimahabbouchi/

For all things Agile Ideas and to stay connected, visit our website below. It's your one-stop destination for all our episodes, blogs, and more. We hope you found today's episode enlightening. Until next time, keep innovating and exploring new Agile Ideas!


Learn more about podcast host Fatimah Abbouchi
...

What happens when project management expertise meets sustainability principles? Eman Deabil, Bahraini transformation management leader and award-winning professional, reveals the powerful intersection that sparked her global Green PMO initiative.

Emerging from a desire to create something uniquely Bahraini that would impact the world, Iman's collaborative book project brings together diverse thought leaders to explore how Project Management Offices can drive meaningful sustainability transformation. She explains how combining her PMO experience and sustainability knowledge created the foundation for this innovative approach.

Eman offers practical strategies for organisations struggling to integrate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into their operations. She emphasizes creating specific sustainability KPIs, aligning projects with UN Sustainable Development Goals, and establishing clear accountability mechanisms. Most importantly, she addresses the challenge of convincing resistant stakeholders by translating sustainability initiatives into financial terms, and demonstrating long-term value creation.

In this episode we discuss:

• Combining PMO expertise with ESG knowledge

• Using KPIs and strategic alignment to incorporate sustainability into project management

• Overcoming management resistance

• Applying emotional intelligence to understand stakeholder dynamics

• Becoming a "T-shaped" project manager

Check out Iman's best-selling book "Green PMO" to learn how project management offices can lead sustainability transformation in organizations.

Book your discovery assessment here: https://agilemanagementoffice.com/discovery-assessment/

Thank you for listening; PLEASE share or rate this if you enjoyed it. #AgileIdeas

Support the show

Thank you for listening to Agile Ideas! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might benefit from our discussions. Remember to rate us on your preferred podcast platform and follow us on social media for updates and more insightful content.

Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd really appreciate it if you could share it with your friends and rate us. Let's spread the #AgileIdeas together!

We'd like to hear any feedback. www.agilemanagementoffice.com/contact

Don't miss out on exclusive access to special events, checklists, and blogs that are not available everywhere. Subscribe to our newsletter now at www.agilemanagementoffice.com/subscribe.

You can also find us on most social media channels by searching 'Agile Ideas'.

Follow me, your host, on LinkedIn - go to Fatimah Abbouchi - www.linkedin.com/in/fatimahabbouchi/

For all things Agile Ideas and to stay connected, visit our website below. It's your one-stop destination for all our episodes, blogs, and more. We hope you found today's episode enlightening. Until next time, keep innovating and exploring new Agile Ideas!


Learn more about podcast host Fatimah Abbouchi
...