Acknowledge the Invisible
Finally, the fourth pillar, Acknowledge the Invisible, recognizes the often-overlooked aspects of the workplace, such as the attributes necessary for symbiotic fulfillment, and the underlying dynamics that influence team interactions.
Trust, Connection, Care, and Resiliency are key components to any successful PMO.
By bringing these invisible factors to light, PM Innov8 fosters a more inclusive and understanding environment for both customers and team members.
This awareness helps in addressing potential issues before they escalate, ensuring a harmonious and productive workplace.
Case Study
A global consulting firm attempted to implement a new AI-driven knowledge management platform across 14 offices. The tool required teams to openly share insights, client deliverables, and best-practice documents.
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The Problem
Participation stalled at 30/40%, mostly at senior levels. The remaining majority consisting of consultants, engagement managers & analysts willingly used the platform, but rarely contributed to it.
Why?
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Mid-level consultants didn’t trust that sharing documents wouldn’t be used against them during performance reviews.
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Junior associates feared submitting “unfinished thinking.”
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Partners felt pressure to maintain competitive advantage inside the firm (“my IP = my edge”).
The consulting firm tried training, incentives, and usage mandates. Nothing moved the needle.
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The Turning Point
An outside consultancy was brought in to diagnose the behavioural blockers. They discovered:
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Trust existed vertically (people trusted their direct manager).
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Trust was missing horizontally (people didn’t trust peers, other offices, or leadership layers above 1–2 levels).
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They launched a cross-level trust acceleration initiative:
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Transparent communication cascades (weekly micro-updates from leadership tiers).
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Multi-office “knowledge pods” pairing junior and senior employees.
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Partner-level vulnerability workshops (sharing failures to signal psychological safety).
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Anonymous contribution options (later phased out).
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Results
Once ~75% of the organization had participated in the trust-building exercises, usage changed dramatically:
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Platform contributions increased 4× in 8 months.
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Project delivery time improved by 20% because teams reused knowledge effectively.
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Employee engagement scores increased 17 points, mainly in “communication openness” and “leadership authenticity.”
Until the majority of the organization trusted the system and the people behind it, no technology or mandate worked. The invisible work—communication, psychological safety, and cross-level trust—was the lever.
Key Points
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Trust must be built at multiple levels of the organization, and 75% of the organization as a whole in order to work.
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The warm and fuzzy feeling is not the only reason to focus on the invisible - these items strengthen teams and allow them to achieve greatness as a whole.
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Communication, open communication, is extremely valuable towards achieving this pillar.