Projects exist to create unique results, and organizations are vitally dependent on creating value. Optimizing results to achieve the greatest value needs to be the goal of any project-based organization. It does not happen by wishful thinking or accident but takes a concerted effort. A project office is in an ideal location to lead this effort. However, many project office implementations fail to meet minimal expectations and they disappoint a variety of stakeholders. A growing body of knowledge suggests there are better ways to approach the concept of a project office.

A strategic project office (SPO) may be the dream. But the organization may not be ready for it, resisters chant the mantra "we tried that before and it didn't work," or people do not understand the possibilities. There is no "one size fits all" prescription for implementing a project office. Even so, principles exist to guide an optimal approach to such an endeavor. A first step is to appreciate the organic intricacy of organizations and the cycle of knowledge creation. Since an SPO may represent a culture change, another step is to identify the aspects surrounding change management. This article overlays four key concepts required to make the change stick: leadership, learning, means, and motivation. Then a decision needs to be made: what approach to a project office is right for us?

A manager in an organization has to create an environment for project success. Effective teams emerge out of shared purpose, urgency, mutuality, and care. A gardener has to create an environment for a tree to flourishhe or she cannot command it to grow. Figure 1 shows an organic approach to knowledge creation, going through cycles and utilizing all available resources.

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