The 4PM Podcast
Transforming 4PM through: Integration to Deliver Value!
The 4PM Podcast is the newest platform in the UrukPM Outreach Trio.
The outreach trio includes the Applied Project Management YouTube Channel, the Applied Project Management Blog Site, and the 4PM Podcast. We will use these three platforms in an integrated way to provide maximum flexibility and benefits to our community.
In these podcast episodes, we will discuss various topics related to 4PM. In this context, 4PM refers to project, program, product, and portfolio management.
Our topics include various educational content such as case studies, books, practical tips, the latest trends, the pioneering Uruk Platform, and future interviews with respected project management experts and thought leaders.
Do you have topics or questions that you would like us to discuss? Please share!
The 4PM Podcast
Can Project Management Be a Competitive Advantage?
In this powerful episode of the 4PM Podcast, Mounir Ajam explores a question every organization should be asking:
Is project management just a support function—or can it drive real competitive edge?
When organizations mature their project management capabilities, the benefits go far beyond checklists and timelines. Project management becomes faster, leaner, more consistent—and ultimately, more strategic.
Mounir dives into how smart investment in PM maturity transforms the way businesses operate.
✅ Understand the real cost of managing projects
✅ See how PM maturity reduces waste and inefficiencies
✅ Learn how reusable knowledge improves quality and speed
✅ Discover how to align execution with strategic goals
✅ Explore how mature PM practices lead to predictable, successful delivery
✅ See why organizations with strong PM systems outperform others in the market
Whether you're leading projects or shaping strategy, this episode offers valuable insights into turning your PM function into a long-term advantage.
🔗 Read the full article at urukpm.com under the Knowledge tab.
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#UrukPM #ProjectManagement #Podcast
Welcome to the 4PM podcast, where ideas take shape and strategies find purpose. I am Mounir Ajam, founder and CEO of Uruk Project Management, and I have a deep-seated passion for project management and community development, growing on decades of global experience across diverse industries and roles. I am here to guide you through the transformative power of the 4PMs project program, product and portfolio management and our focus on business integrated project management. Let's explore how integration unlocks unparalleled value for you and your organization. Good day, my friends. Welcome back to the 4PM podcast. I'm Munir Ajam, your host, and, as always, it's a pleasure to be here with you. Over the years, I've often discussed how organizations treat project management. Sometimes it's embraced, sometimes it's misunderstood and often it's undervalued. So here is a question I'd like you to reflect on as we begin this episode Can project management, beyond process and paperwork, become a competitive advantage? It's a powerful question and one that goes far deeper than just certifications or methodology. In today's episode, we're diving into how project management, when elevated and matured across the organization, can do much more than just help get things done. It can help organizations excel, outperform and differentiate themselves in highly competitive markets. Let's explore what it means to evolve project management from a supporting function into a core business enabler. Let's start higher.
Speaker 1:Managing projects comes with a cost. The budget of the project must include the cost of managing that project. It's a cost many organizations underestimate, but it's there project managers and teams, in the hours spent on planning and reporting, in the tools and system we use and the meeting we hold to coordinate everything. Now, that's not to say these costs are bad. They're necessary. But here's the insight I want to share with you. These costs change depending on how mature your organization's project management capability is. The more mature an organization becomes, the more efficient and less costly it is to manage projects.
Speaker 1:There are two key variables to understand here. First, we have what we call Variable A. This represents the cost of project management execution. Think of it as the effort, resources and time needed to manage a project from start to finish. For the organization, it is the cost to manage all projects and programs, the entire portfolio. Second, we have variable B. This one's different. It's the investment your organization makes to improve its project management maturity, including governance frameworks, training programs, standardized systems and continuous improvement efforts.
Speaker 1:Now, early on in the maturity journey, variable B is high. You're putting in that effort to build the foundation designing templates, establishing guidelines, training your teams, implementing the project management system and methods, etc. But here's where the magic happens as you mature variable A the cost of managing project, goes down. You become more efficient, more consistent, less reactive. The article on our blog on this topic presents a beautiful curve, a visual red line that shows how both A and B evolve over time. At first costs are high. You're investing, but gradually you cross that break-even point. You've built the engine and from that point on, managing project becomes faster, leaner and more successful. This is not just theory. It's what real organizations experience when they commit to building an integrated project management system. Now let's move from cost to value. You might wonder okay, munir, I understand that as maturity increases, cost goes down. But what else do we gain? Well, the answer is a lot.
Speaker 1:Let's look at an everyday example. Imagine a new project manager starting at an organization with low maturity no templates, no guidance, no knowledge base. They're asked to draft a project charter. But where do they begin? They might search online, look through old folders or ask colleagues. They spend hours trying to piece it together, unsure of expectations. Now fast forward to a high-maturity organization. That same project manager opened a well-organized portal. They find clear templates, past examples, detailed guidance and even notes from previous lessons learned. In no time they draft a strong, aligned charter, confident that they're following best practices. Multiply that kind of efficiency across hundreds of project tasks, from scope planning to stakeholder engagement, and the value becomes obvious.
Speaker 1:And it's not just about speed. With maturity, project outcomes improve, you reduce, rework, you align better with strategy, you build trust with stakeholders. That's the hidden power. The organization gain not just efficiency, but reliability, predictability and consistency. These are not soft benefits, they are measurable. They impact your ability to deliver projects on time, within budget and with expected results. The article notes something very insightful At lower maturity very insightful At lower maturity, the cost of managing a project can reach up to 15% of its total budget. A disclaimer this 15% might be different in your organization and industry. However, with maturity this can drop to below 10% and in some cases it might even be less than 5%. That's a significant difference, especially across large portfolios. So maturity isn't just about doing things by the book. It's about delivering more with less and doing it again and again.
Speaker 1:There's something I find truly powerful and that's the concept of knowledge reuse. In mature organization, project knowledge doesn't get buried in email threads or forgotten folders. It becomes part of a living system. It's accessible, it's valued and, most importantly, it's used. Let's return to our earlier example the project charter. In a low maturity organization, every new charter is created from scratch. There's uncertainty, duplication, inconsistency. In contrast, a high maturity organization provides its teams with curated tools example charters, completed templates, annotated lessons, even videos or guidance on how to complete each section. The result Time is saved, confidence increases, quality improves. And this isn't just about charters, it applies across. Hard-earned experience isn't lost when someone changes roles or leaves the company. It turned project management into a continuous learning engine and that, my friend, is a competitive advantage. Let's tie it all together.
Speaker 1:Too often, often, organizations hesitate to invest in project management maturity. They see it as overhead, extra work, something to implement later. But here's the reality those who invest in maturity are not just improving processes, they are positioning themselves to win. Why? Because mature project organizations move faster, they deliver better, they retain knowledge, they create alignment between vision and execution. But let me be clear this isn't a quick fix. It's a journey. It starts with leadership, it requires commitment and it involves change and transformation, not just in tools, but in culture. You need a governance model. You need people who understand the value of consistency and you need mechanisms to capture, review and refine your practices over time. Capture, review and refine your practices over time. The article says it well. The break-even point will vary. It depends on how much you invest, how many projects you run and how you embed the change. But once you get past that point, you unlock a system that accelerates performance, project after project, project after project. All right, my friends, that brings us to the end of today's episode.
Speaker 1:We explored a critical question Can project management be a competitive advantage? And we answered it not with wishful thinking, but with practical insight. We looked at the cost of execution, the impact of maturity, the power of reusable knowledge and the long-term return on investment. If your organization is looking for ways to strengthen performance, reduce waste and align better with strategic goals, investing in project management, maturity is not optional. It's essential To read the full article we discussed today. Head over to urukpmcom and check our knowledge tab. It's a powerful read, filled with models and examples that can help you map your next steps. That can help you map your next steps. I'm Munir Ajam and I thank you, as always, for your time, your attention and your commitment to transforming project management. Until next time, stay purposeful, stay focused and let your project deliver real, visible value.