Every PMO leader has lived some version of this story:

A strategy consultant walks in with a slide deck full of vision statements, transformation pathways, and a list of 70+ “strategic initiatives” that all need to be delivered in the next 12–18 months.

Then they walk out and the PMO is left holding the bag.

In this week’s Throwback Thursday PM Debate Podcast, Mary Elizabeth and I revisit one of the most controversial topics we ever tackled:

“Blame it all on the strategy consultant, why PMOs fail.”

👉 I argue for the motion. Strategy consultants often underestimate organizational capacity, dilute accountability, and hand over beautifully written plans that violate basic laws of physics. (82 initiatives in 13 months? With 213 people? Come on.)

👉 Mary Elizabeth argues against. Organizations should know better. If you outsource your thinking, accept generic reports, and never push back, isn’t that on the client?

Together we explore the bigger questions:

* Is the failure in the idea, the plan, or the people delivering it?

* Who owns accountability when the strategy thinkers disappear before the strategy doers show up?

* Are PMOs set up to succeed… or set up as the fall guys?

* And how do we stop the blame game between strategy and execution?

If you’ve ever inherited a strategy that looked great in theory but impossible in practice, this episode will hit close to home.

🎙️ Listen to the archived episode here.

After you listen, I’d love to hear your take:Who’s really to blame when strategy looks perfect on paper but collapses in delivery?

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