Insights from the recent Quay × Smartsheet Roundtable revealed five trends reshaping high-performing PMOs. From stronger sponsorship and cultural trust to influence and adaptability, maturity now depends on agility, alignment and strategic impact
Key Insights
- Modern PMO relevance now depends on strategic influence, strong sponsorship and outcome-based value measures.
- Trust, culture and connection increasingly outperform process in driving PMO credibility and adoption.
- Adaptability is the defining maturity marker; static PMOs risk invisibility as priorities shift.
What separates high-performing PMOs from those still fighting for relevance?
That question framed the recent Quay × Smartsheet Roundtable, where PMO leaders compared experiences from across industries.
Twenty PMO leaders shared how their role is changing and the discussion revealed five forces reshaping what high-performing PMOs look like.
From stronger sponsorship and clearer value measures to trust, influence and adaptability, the message was clear: evolve, or risk becoming invisible.
Their conclusion: the PMO’s traditional focus on governance and delivery assurance is no longer enough. Today’s PMOs shape strategy, influence culture and steer enterprise priorities.
The modern PMO’s real challenge begins once stability is achieved – proving value through influence and partnership. Five forces are driving that change, and together, they point to the next horizon of PMO maturity.
1. Executive sponsorship: The accelerator of PMO success
Strong sponsorship remains the defining factor in whether a PMO thrives or falls behind. Yet many organisations still rely on “accidental sponsors” – senior leaders and executives who are given accountability without support, or who are simply too time-poor to be effective in the role.
“Upskilling sponsors to reduce friction and enable PMOs to be more effective is critical,” said Quay’s Jon Pascoe. “Without it, even the most capable delivery teams struggle to demonstrate value.”
High-performing PMOs are closing this gap through targeted sponsor enablement, concise governance frameworks and clearer decision rights. The result is faster decisions and better alignment, both of which drive delivery momentum that lasts beyond individual projects.
This calibration between decision rights and delivery tempo echoes the broader theme of finding the right rhythm between oversight and progress.
2. Proving strategic value and ROI
The PMO’s evolution from cost centre to strategic enabler is well underway, but proving that value is still a common pain point. Many PMOs measure activity (the number of reports, stage gates, or projects delivered), rather than outcomes that matter to executives.
Roundtable participants agreed that the next maturity step is to connect project performance directly to business indicators, for example:
- Accelerated benefits
- Smarter resource allocation
- Cost avoidance
- Improved decision velocity.
By translating delivery metrics into the language of enterprise value, PMOs move from reporting progress to demonstrating performance.
3. Culture and connection over process
Frameworks provide structure, but culture determines whether those frameworks succeed. The leaders at the roundtable agreed that trust, transparency and psychological safety enable change far more effectively than rigid process.
“Trust begins with reliability,” said Quay Principal Consultant Rod Adams. “When stakeholders see consistency and empathy in action, change adoption accelerates.”
The lesson here is that PMOs that focus on human connection – and those that embed listening, communicating and responding with empathy as part of how they operate – earn the credibility needed to lead transformation. Culture, not compliance, is what sustains improvement.
4. From governance to influence
The governance-first PMO is giving way to a model built on influence and visibility. Rather than enforcing process, modern PMOs help shape where the organisation directs energy and resources.
“High-performing PMOs bring visibility to what matters most,” said Pascoe. “That’s where the PMO creates strategic impact.”
This transformation demands new capabilities: understanding business drivers, translating strategic intent into actionable portfolios and speaking the language of executives. PMOs that master influence become indispensable partners in performance. Those that don’t risk being sidelined as administrative functions.
5. Adaptability: The defining marker of maturity
The final force shaping the PMO in 2025 is adaptability. With most enterprises now operating across multiple delivery methodologies, the ability to flex governance and cadence is critical. Many organisations fall into a pattern of dismantling the PMO once stability returns, only to rebuild it again when delivery falters. Mature PMOs break that cycle through continuous improvement and clear alignment to business value.
Static PMOs built for yesterday’s problems are increasingly vulnerable when budgets tighten or priorities shift. High-performing PMOs embed adaptability into their DNA, by regularly reviewing services, aligning with business direction and evolving before the next disruption hits.
What this means for PMO leaders
The strongest consensus from the roundtable was that as we move into 2026, high-performing PMOs are there to influence outcomes. They operate at the intersection of strategy, culture and delivery, adjusting pace and focus to stay tuned in to the business they serve.
The next evolution of PMO maturity belongs to those who can prove value, build trust and shape influence at speed. If your PMO is ready to evolve as we move into 2026, Quay Consulting can help map the next step in your maturity journey.
