Mentoring Activities Across the PMO Continuum

The progression of the "mentoring" function along the PMO competency continuum is characterized by increasing use of internally qualified senior project management mentors, combined with more personalized mentoring services as the project environment matures.

Table 13.1 provides an overview of the range of prescribed PMO project management mentoring activities according to each level in the PMO competency continuum.

Table 13.1: Range of Mentoring Activities across the PMO Continuum

Project Office	Basic PMO	Standard PMO	Advanced PMO	Center of Excellence
Requests and uses available to project management mentors to assist the project manager and project team in their achievement of project objectives	Introduces project management mentoring on an as-needed, ad hoc basis Mentoring focus is on support of critical project management practices Mentor source is primarily external consultants Mentoring process tends to be informal	Establishes a more formal project management mentoring program Menu of mentor support services is developed for project life cycle support Mentor source includes internal and external consultants Mentoring process is more formal	Develops expanded scope of project management mentoring activities Mentor source is primarily internal senior staff Mentor-prot g pair alignment with individual project managers evolves Mentor services are expanded to include personal and professional development for project managers	Performs mentoring program oversight and guidance Policies and guidance for mentor programs is developed Mentor program evaluation and examination is accomplished

The project office tends to be the primary user of the mentoring services provided by a higher level PMO. In the absence of a higher level PMO, it may independently acquire the services of a project management mentor, usually on an outsourcing basis. As well, the head of the project office — often a senior project manager — may be called upon to serve as a mentor to other project managers.

Mid-range PMO levels of the continuum have the responsibility of designing and establishing a mentoring support program that fits the needs of the relevant organization. This includes at least a fundamental capability to provide project management mentoring support to new project managers. This level of support evolves to dedicated and personalized mentoring of all project managers as PMO capability matures. In mature management project environments, mentoring services can be extended to include one-on-one transfer of skill and knowledge related to business issues, leadership development, and individual project manager goal achievement as mentor-prot g pairs become more defined.

The center of excellence develops, recommends, and implements policy for project management mentoring. It manages an advanced mentoring program that includes recurring evaluation of mentor effectiveness and mentoring program achievements.

The PMO's project management "mentoring" function provides project managers and project team members with access to qualified and experienced senior managers in the project management environment.