Lifelong Learning: Implementing Best Practice In Business

In this episode, Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, sits down with a true pioneer of modern business-case development: Joe Flanagan, architect of the Five Case Model and author of internationally adopted guidance for programme and project business cases. Across a remarkable 45-year career in public service - from HM Treasury to NHS Wales - Joe has helped shape how governments and organisat...

In this episode, Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, speaks with Peter Beven about why so many transformation efforts fail, and what leaders must do differently to keep their organisations competitive. Peter challenges conventional thinking, arguing that most organisations still treat people development as an afterthought, even though capability is the single biggest driver of value in any...

In this episode, Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG, speaks with Agnieszka Bochacka, a global leader in digital transformation, academic director, consultant, and author of the world’s first certified digital transformation methodology.  With over a decade of international experience, Agnieszka shares her unique journey from project management to strategy and change leadership across sectors. A passionat...

In this episode, Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, speaks with Jessica Crow, founder of Apogy, about the keys to making change stick. Too often, organisations invest in change initiatives that fail to take root. Jessica shares her insights on why traditional approaches fall short and what leaders can do to drive real, lasting adoption. Drawing from her extensive experience in change manag...

In this episode, Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, speaks with Stephen Jenner, a globally recognised expert in benefits and portfolio management. Dubbed the “Rottweiler of Benefits Management,” Steve has built a career transforming how organisations approach project portfolios.  From his time in the UK government—where his benefits-led approach won the prestigious Civil Service Finance Aw...

In this episode, Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, speaks with Mike Battistella, President and CTO of Solutions3, an award-winning consulting and training organisation. They discuss the critical misconceptions organisations have about cybersecurity, particularly the belief that passing a compliance audit equates to long-term security. Mike emphasises that compliance is merely the baseline...

In this episode, Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, engages in a comprehensive discussion with Terry Neal, distinguished expert in AI and cybersecurity training. Richard opens the conversation by asking Terry for a simple definition of AI; Terry responds by explaining AI is a machine’s ability to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence. Richard and Terry delve into the AI Pr...

In this episode, Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, is joined by Robert den Broeder, managing director of OBM Dynamics B.V. and a seasoned coach and trainer.  Robert shares his journey from teaching service management to exploring the critical role of human behaviour in achieving management excellence. Through his extensive research and practical experience, Robert unveils how Organization...

In this episode, Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, speaks with Karla Micallef, a veteran in leading enterprise-wide transformations. Karla brings over 20 years of experience across various industries, focusing on mergers and acquisitions, organisational model redesigns, and digital transformations. Recently elected as the global president chair of the board for the Change Management Insti...

In this episode, renowned ITSM expert Anthony Orr joins Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, for an insightful discussion on the intricacies of service level agreements (SLAs) and the evolution towards experience level agreements (XLAs).  They delve into the impact of SLAs on organisational behaviour, exploring both their benefits and shortcomings. Through thought-provoking questions, Richar...

In this episode, Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, speaks to Sarah Hills, Change expert and Founder of Carpe Omnia Training. They explore the intricacies of organisational change and the challenges of introducing best practices. Richard prompts Sarah about the behavioural shifts required for successful implementation, to which Sarah stresses the importance of establishing trust and openne...

In this episode, Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, speaks with Tibisay Vera, neuroscientist, and creator of the PEPE model – Neuroscience for Change.  Delving into Tibi's wealth of experience spanning over two decades in change and leadership, this episode uncovers the profound impact of neuroscience on managerial effectiveness and team motivation amidst the backdrop of today's...

In this episode, Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, speaks to Eileen Roden, Director and Co-Founder of House of PMO. Delving into the heart of modern project management, this episode navigates the intricate terrain of PMOs' vital role in today's dynamic business environment. On the implications of transitioning into a project economy, Eileen explains how PMOs can facilitate succe...

In this episode, Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, welcomes Liz Herman, elected Vice President of the Society for Technical Communication and a Senior Manager in knowledge content training with Accenture Federal Services. Richard and Liz discuss the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on technical communicators and how the Society is leveraging support to its members throughout shifts...

In this episode, Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, speaks to thought leaders Melanie Franklin and Andrew Craddock as they delve into the evolution of Agile Project Management, discussing its impact on businesses and the broader context of cultural transformation. Melanie Franklin, a seasoned expert in Change Management, and Andrew Craddock, a prominent figure in Agile methodologies, share...

In this episode, Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, speaks to Neil Keating, founder of Experience Collab, to delve into the world of Experience Level Agreements (XLAs) and their significance in the IT industry. To begin, Neil distinguishes XLA’s and SLA’s and outlines how they can help improve the overall experience for IT customers, consumers and employees. Neil then emphasises the import...

In this episode, we hear Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, speak to Christina Sejr Pedersen, Executive Director of The Half Double Institute in Denmark. Christina begins the episode by explaining the business problem Half Double embarks to resolve. Expanding on her 15 year-long career in Project Management, Christina highlights the pattern she observed from feedback given by the Project M...

📢 “You’ve just got to remember: it’s all about people and skills, no matter how clever we are with the technology.” In this episode, Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, speaks to Matthew Burrows, the president of SkillsTx and SFIA Accredited Consultant and Assessor about The Skills Framework for The Information Age. Richard begins the episode by asking Matthew why he built an online platfo...

📢  “Gains vs losses, it’s a rational framework. Very, very good. Thing is though, if you only present it with options that are a bit silly, then you get the least silly result at the end... But it’s still fundamentally silly” In this episode Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, revisits the Better Business Cases scheme with Joseph Lowe, Co-Editor of the Green Book and Head of the Economics...

📢  “There is a see-saw effect between quality and speed. We need a framework that improves both at the same time” In this episode, we hear Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, talk to Dominic Harborne, a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Coach, Trainer, Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and Chief Examiner of APMG’s Lean Six Sigma certifications. Listen in as Dominic tal...

📢 “Change is only what people make of it.” In this episode, we hear Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, speak to CEO of Notion, Dominic Ashley-Timms. Dominic begins by explaining where the concept of STAR® came from. We learn that the initial inspiration came from Dominic's work with organisations struggling to cope with change. Dominic gained a better understanding of the various cha...

📢 “As a non-expert you are the ideal person to communicate with other non-experts.” In this episode, Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, speaks to veteran technical communicator and STC President Aiessa Moyna. Aiessa and Richard begin by discussing STC reaching the impressive milestone of 70 years in operation, and discuss whether the STC membership is valued by members just as much now as...

In this episode we speak to Eileen Roden, Director and Co-Founder of House of PMO and all-around PMO enthusiast - with a tattoo to prove it. Eileen begins by discussing the history of House of PMO. She then shares how she defines the PMO role itself, and we learn that PMO’s can now be considered a career in its own right - or at minimum, a development opportunity. Eileen suggests that PMOs provide...

📢 “Compatibility is the cornerstone of FitSM”  In this episode, we hear Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International speak to IT Governance Manager Michael Brenner.  Michael begins by discussing the origins of FitSM and the difficulties he initially faced when introducting it to organisations. He explains that the development of FitSM stemmed from frustration with the lack of a simple, lightweight f...

📢 “Surround yourself with smarter people than you. As a project or programme manager, you are the conductor, not the orchestrator.”  In this episode, Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, speaks to Ross Bowyer, a highly experienced project manager who has overseen strategic development activities, capability development, and the overarching development of people. Ross currently manages proje...