Seattle PMO Group - January 2026

​​January Topic: Influencing without Authority

​For January’s Seattle PMO Group meeting, we’ll build on December’s conversation with a hybrid speaker + breakout format designed to go deeper on one of the most critical skills for PMO leaders: influencing without authority.

​Microsoft PMO leader Andree LaRiviere will kick off the session by sharing practical perspectives on how PMO leaders drive alignment, decisions, and outcomes when they don’t control formal authority - a reality many of us face daily. As PMOs increasingly operate across matrixed organizations, shifting priorities, and executive stakeholders with competing agendas, the ability to influence effectively has become just as important as delivery discipline.

​The Agenda will cover:

• ​Why Influencing without authority matters

• ​Ways to Influence

• ​Understanding your “go to” influence practice

• ​Types of Power

• ​Round table Discussion (based on real world experience)

  • ​Group exercise prompt: Four teams are holding parallel and duplicative efforts competing for resources and struggling to deliver value in a timely manner. They seek to drive similar operational efficiencies through enhancing internal toolsets.

    • ​How do you bring them together?

    • ​What type of approach and tactics do you leverage to bring these groups to unify?

    • ​What challenges can you anticipate?

  • ​Best Practices when influencing without authority

​About this Meeting:​

​Whether you’re a seasoned PMO leader or just building your toolkit, you’ll walk away with fresh ideas and practical takeaways.

​​​Most importantly, our group is about connections. These sessions are a chance to network with fellow Seattle-area PMO leaders, swap stories, and recharge with a community that “gets it.”

​​Please note: This group is designed specifically for current and former PMO Leaders — those with direct people-management experience.

​​Our round-table format works best when everyone brings real-world insights to the discussion. We’ll be diving into leadership-focused topics like:

• ​​Hiring, training, and developing project managers

• ​​Navigating executive dynamics

• ​​Re-engineering PMO processes

​​Because the conversation depends on hands-on experience, please join only if you’ve led teams and managed these types of challenges directly.