Case Study:  Building a Talent-Driven Edge in Project Management

In commercial real estate, project overruns are common. But at CBRE, a pattern was emerging: even well-planned initiatives were slipping.

Account Directors—mostly from facility management backgrounds—were calling in urgent support. Project Management teams were stretched. Best practices weren’t sticking. Clients were feeling it.

It wasn’t a process issue.

It was a people capability issue.

How CBRE’s Center of Excellence Became a Growth Engine - Powered by People

The Challenge

RANGER: Embedding Expertise Where It Counts

Enter Ranger—cross-functional experts embedded in struggling or scaling account teams to coach, support, and turn things around. Rangers weren’t auditors—they were partners. And their presence led to real results.

“I can sell the Ranger program all day long.”

— Bret Nave, Executive Managing Director

The Mission:

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Results That Mattered

CBRE’s Project Management Center of Excellence (COE) needed a new identity.  Not just a holding place for project leaders between assignments—but a   strategic capability builder that:

  • Account teams wanted to bring in

  • Clients saw as high-value

  • Executives viewed as a competitive advantage

PART: Proactive Project Risk Reviews

We scaled the Project Advisory Review Team (PART)—seasoned internal experts who assessed live and planned projects. The goal? Help project teams surface risks, apply best practices, and build confidence—before things derailed.

Over time, we noticed the same root issue: performance hinged on the people more than the process.

A cartoon character wearing a white bodysuit, red mask, and cape, standing with hands on hips.

SOAR: Elevating Strategy Through People

From Ranger’s came SOAR (Strategic Operational Assessment Review)— a high-impact, people-first initiative that assessed team capability and guided long-term development.

Being invited to participate in a SOAR became a résumé highlight. And for the accounts? It meant stability, performance, and visible commitment to improvement.

  • 10+ years of double-digit CAGR in Project Management service

  • 27% improvement in client satisfaction (Kingsley Survey)

  • Zero red accounts, with most moved to top-tier satisfaction

  • Industry top-quartile employee engagement

  • Ranger and SOAR programs became enterprise-wide differentiators

    (even contributing to revenue-generating offering)

I specialize in practical, scalable strategies that elevate performance without breaking what already works.

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