When Humans Run Wild: The Art and Science of Project Governance – Oton
Abstract:
Projects don’t stall because people aren’t working. They stall because decisions aren’t owned.
Through a real-world project breakdown, this session explores what happens when momentum, misalignment, and unclear ownership collide. As roles blur and alignment is assumed instead of confirmed, project managers often get pulled into decision gaps they were never meant to fill.
This session reframes the role of governance, not as oversight, but as a mechanism to create clarity, define decision ownership, and ensure decisions have a place to land. Attendees will see how establishing clear ownership, structuring the right conversations, and escalating with intention can restore alignment and move work forward.
Whether you are managing a single project or operating across a portfolio, this session offers a practical approach to shifting from managing activity to driving decisions that unlock progress.
Takeaways
- Learn how to define and enforce clear decision ownership to prevent stalled progress
- Recognize when alignment is assumed versus truly confirmed and how to close that gap
- Understand how project managers get pulled into decision gaps and how to redirect ownership appropriately
- Apply governance as a tool to create structure, drive escalation, and ensure decisions move forward
- Walk away with practical strategies to push decisions to the right level and keep work progressing
PMI Talent Triangle: Business Acumen
