PMO Strategies

Afleveringen

• 
  371: 50 Years of Project Management: Lessons for What Comes Next with Lee Lambert 31.07.2026 39min

  Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Ways of WorkingProject management has more technology, training, certifications, and information than at any other point in the profession’s history.But a better tool cannot rescue a plan the team never built together. AI cannot manage a risk nobody is actively addressing. A credential cannot replace the judgment that comes from applying the work inside a real organization.That is the tension at the center of this special episode with my longtime friend and mentor Lee Lambert. Lee is a PMP, PMI Fellow, project management pioneer, and one of five people invited in 1981 to help create and implement the PMP certification program. We recorded this conversation as he approached his 80th birthday and reflected on more than 50 years of watching the profession change.Lee shares what project management looked like before the modern tools and standards, what technology has made possible, and what still gets missed when teams use automation without understanding planning, dependencies, risk, people, and outcomes.For PMO and transformation leaders, this is not a history lesson for nostalgia’s sake. It is a warning and an opportunity. The future will not reward the team with the most software. It will reward the leaders who know what must remain human, where discipline matters, and how to connect every delivery practice to the business outcome it is meant to create.When you press play, you will hear:🔹 Why automation can make weak information move faster when the planning underneath it is incomplete🔹 What team-built work breakdown structures, dependencies, and critical-path thinking still reveal that a screen can hide🔹 Why a risk register is not the same thing as active risk management🔹 How AI can strengthen project work when leaders know what to ask and how to quality-check the answer🔹 Why credentials and training must be paired with applied practice, mentoring, and continuous learning🔹 What Lee’s medical diagnostic project taught him about the difference between delivering an output and creating the intended outcome🔹 The two things Lee wants the next generation of project and PMO leaders to prioritize nowPress play above to hear the lessons Lee believes the profession must carry forward and decide which fundamentals your PMO needs to strengthen before the next wave of technology arrives.Connect with Lee Lambert Connect with Lee on LinkedInP.S. Make Your Case The future of project management still depends on helping leaders understand why the right work matters. On August 20, the IMPACT Application Lab: Make Your Case will help you turn one real strategy delivery challenge into a clear, leadership-ready case for change. The workshop is live only and free for everyone who owns The IMPACT Engine. Your book is your ticket.Get the book and join Make Your Case.Thanks for taking the time to check out the podcast!I welcome your feedback and insights! I’d love to know what you think and if you love it, please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast player. Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. See you online!Warmly,Laura BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS
• 
  370: How to Crush Your Authority Without Realizing It 26.07.2026 28min

  Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Power SkillsOne of the fastest ways to weaken your influence as a PMO, project, or transformation leader is also one of the most common.It sounds responsible. It sounds like alignment. It sounds like you are reinforcing executive support.But every time you lead with “the sponsor said,” “the boss wants,” or “executives told me to,” you may be training the organization to look past you for the real decision maker.That is how capable leaders accidentally become messengers.In this episode, I share how delivery leaders dilute their own authority without realizing it and what to say instead. Because sponsors matter. Executive support matters. But hiding behind borrowed authority is not leadership. It positions you as the person passing along instructions instead of the leader responsible for helping the organization deliver outcomes.What you’ll learn:🔹 Why “the boss said so” quietly damages your credibility and authority🔹 The difference between borrowed authority, positional authority, and business authority🔹 How to use sponsor influence strategically without hiding behind it🔹 What to say when you need resources, decisions, or support from another leader🔹 How to connect requests to business outcomes instead of hierarchy🔹 Why executives want leaders who can drive progress when they are not in the roomPress play and learn how to stop sounding like the messenger and start communicating like the leader responsible for the outcome.P.S. Next up in The IMPACT Application Lab is Make Your Case, where I’ll help you turn one real strategy delivery challenge into a clear, leadership-ready case for change.If you already know something needs to change but need help showing leaders, sponsors, stakeholders, or your team why it matters now, this workshop is for you.It’s FREE for everyone who owns The IMPACT Engine. Your book is your ticket.📚 Get the book here.👥 Join IMPACT Insiders here.Thanks for taking the time to check out the podcast!I welcome your feedback and insights! I’d love to know what you think and if you love it, please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast player. Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. See you online!Warmly,Laura BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS
• 
  369: AI Is Exposing How Work Really Gets Done with David Dean 19.07.2026 37min

  Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Business AcumenThere is a lot of pressure to prove your organization is keeping up with AI. But the most important question is not whether AI is already inside your tools. It is whether your organization understands the work well enough to know what AI is about to amplify. AI is exposing the difference between the way work is documented and the way work actually gets done. The process map shows the official steps. The real work often moves through conversations, relationships, judgment, informal decisions, and workarounds that never make it into the workflow. I’m joined by David Dean, author of An Inbox Between Us and an enterprise AI strategist with two decades of experience in transformation. David calls AI a mirror because it can help leaders see the behavioral system operating beneath the formal one. That visibility can reveal where decisions stall, accountability drifts, people wait for permission, and teams quietly compensate for an operating model that is not helping the work move. This matters for PMO and transformation leaders because the wrong first move is often to automate the process everyone already knows is frustrating. As David explains, AI can scale useful behavior, but it can also industrialize dysfunction. The better move is to slow down long enough to understand the pattern, solve the human problem underneath it, and then decide where technology can create meaningful business IMPACT. What you will hear: 🔹 Why AI is revealing how work really gets done, not simply replacing tasks. 🔹 How the written contract and the unwritten contract shape organizational performance. 🔹 Why self-service AI and controlled AI require different expectations and guardrails. 🔹 What AI can reveal about slow decisions, unclear authority, and hidden workarounds. 🔹 How a simple spoken digital journal can be a starting point for organizational self-awareness. Press play to hear how PMO and transformation leaders can use AI as a mirror, protect human judgment, and improve the operating model before they accelerate the wrong work. Connect with David Dean Visit David’s website Connect with David on LinkedIn Explore An Inbox Between Us P.S. AI can expose the real problem. The next IMPACT Application Lab helps you turn that problem into a leadership-ready reason for action. Make Your Case is live on August 20 and free for everyone who owns The IMPACT Engine. Get your book and join Make Your Case here. Thanks for taking the time to check out the podcast!I welcome your feedback and insights! I’d love to know what you think and if you love it, please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast player. Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. See you online!Warmly,Laura BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS
• 
  368: Is Scarcity Mindset Limiting You? 12.07.2026 39min

  Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Power SkillsWhat if the biggest thing limiting your influence is not your methodology, your governance model, your tools, or even your executive support?What if it is the mindset you have been operating from without realizing it?In PMO, project, and transformation work, scarcity is everywhere: not enough time, not enough funding, not enough resources, not enough sponsor support, not enough executive attention. And when you live inside that “not enough” environment every day, it can start shaping how you lead.Scarcity mindset can cause leaders to protect territory, hold back information, compete for recognition, wait for permission, or delay investing in their own growth because they are too busy, too overwhelmed, or too focused on the cost.But influence does not grow through protection.It grows through value creation.In this episode, you’ll learn:• How scarcity mindset shows up in PMO and transformation leadership.• Why “not enough” thinking can quietly shape the way you lead.• How protecting territory, information, or credit can limit your future influence.• Why investing in your own growth is not optional if you want to lead at the next level.• What abundance mindset looks like for IMPACT Drivers.• Why you do not wait until you are ready — you get ready by taking action.This episode is for PMO, project, and transformation leaders who are tired of waiting for perfect conditions, permission, or certainty before stepping into the leader they know they are capable of becoming.Press play and start shifting from “not enough” to “how might we make this work?”P.S. AI can expose the real problem. The next IMPACT Application Lab helps you turn that problem into a leadership-ready reason for action. Make Your Case is live on August 20 and free for everyone who owns The IMPACT Engine. Get your book and join Make Your Case here. Thanks for taking the time to check out the podcast!I welcome your feedback and insights! I’d love to know what you think and if you love it, please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast player. Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. See you online!Warmly,Laura BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS
• 
  367: What Executives Really Think About Your PMO with Rich Smith 05.07.2026 49min

  Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Business AcumenMost PMOs are working hard. That is not the problem.The problem is that the work they are doing is not always connected clearly enough to the outcomes executives care about. And when your PMO cannot connect its work to revenue, cost savings, risk reduction, strategic growth, or measurable business IMPACT, it becomes much easier for leaders to see the PMO as overhead instead of a strategic growth partner.In this episode, I am joined by Rich Smith, a Chief Marketing Officer and growth strategist with over 25 years of experience leading digital transformation, revenue strategy, and cross-functional execution across B2B and B2C organizations. Rich has spent his career helping executives align leadership vision with measurable outcomes. He has been on both sides of the table: leading transformation efforts and serving as the executive customer of PMOs. His perspective is one you need to hear.What Rich shares will sound familiar to every IMPACT Driver listening. The same gaps that hold PMO leaders back are happening in marketing, in sales, in operations, across every function. This is not a PMO problem. It is an organizational problem. And the good news is your PMO is positioned to fix it.What You Will Learn:🔹 Why executives may struggle to connect PMO reports to business outcomes🔹 How to tie project work to revenue, cost savings, strategic risk, and measurable IMPACT🔹 Why framing projects as risk avoidance can get faster executive buy-in🔹 How to build a broader base of executive support beyond one sponsor🔹 Why asking questions is a power move, not a sign of weakness🔹 How to frame data so executives can absorb it and act on it🔹 What the PMO of the future looks like and the design shift that changes everythingPress play and hear what your executives are thinking but not saying. This conversation will change how you show up in every executive room.Connect with Rich Smith:Visit His WebsiteFollow Rick on LinkedInP.S. AI can expose the real problem. The next IMPACT Application Lab helps you turn that problem into a leadership-ready reason for action. Make Your Case is live on August 20 and free for everyone who owns The IMPACT Engine. Get your book and join Make Your Case here. Thanks for taking the time to check out the podcast!I welcome your feedback and insights! I’d love to know what you think and if you love it, please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast player. Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. See you online!Warmly,Laura BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS
• 
  366: When Your Organization Has Multiple PMOs 28.06.2026 42min

  Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Business AcumenHaving more than one PMO is not the problem.Disconnected PMOs are.In larger organizations, it is completely normal to have an IT PMO, a business PMO, a transformation office, a product delivery function, and maybe even a strategy execution group all trying to help the organization get important work done.That can be powerful.But only if those teams are connected.When they are not sharing information, coordinating resources, aligning priorities, or working from one enterprise view of strategy delivery, the organization starts paying the price.Executives get different reports.Teams compete for the same critical resources.Priorities conflict.Baton handoffs break down.And strategy slows down.In this episode, I’m talking about what really happens when your organization has multiple PMOs and how to move from fragmented delivery functions to one connected strategy delivery system.You’ll learn:• Why multiple PMOs are normal and when they become costly.• How disconnected PMOs create different versions of the truth for executives.• Why quiet competition between PMOs damages credibility and slows strategy delivery.• How to treat information as infrastructure instead of power.• Why resource conversations need to happen before conflicts land on exhausted team members.• How better baton handoffs can keep strategy moving across delivery teams.• Where an EPMO can help and why relationships still come before structure.I also share a client example where one CEO was getting four different views of the organization’s delivery landscape, four different definitions of “on track,” and four different answers to one capacity question.That is not a reporting problem.That is a strategy delivery problem.If your organization has multiple PMOs, transformation teams, product delivery functions, or strategy execution groups operating in parallel, this episode will help you see where the fragmentation is costing you and what to do about it.Press play and learn how to stop competing for the same table and start building a stronger IMPACT Engine for the entire organization.P.S. AI can expose the real problem. The next IMPACT Application Lab helps you turn that problem into a leadership-ready reason for action. Make Your Case is live on August 20 and free for everyone who owns The IMPACT Engine. Get your book and join Make Your Case here. Thanks for taking the time to check out the podcast!I welcome your feedback and insights! I’d love to know what you think and if you love it, please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast player. Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. See you online!Warmly,Laura BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS
• 
  365: Why Organizations Struggle to Make Data-Driven Decisions with Scott Ambler 21.06.2026 40min

  Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Ways of WorkingOrganizations have more data than ever before.More dashboards.More reports.More tools.More conversations about AI.And yet, many leaders still cannot get the trusted information they need to make fast, confident decisions.In this episode, I am joined by Scott Ambler to discuss why organizations continue struggling with fragmented data, siloed systems, disconnected reporting, and decision-making delays.Scott is a recognized thought leader, international keynote speaker, former Vice President at PMI, and co-author of 31 books, including his latest book, Not Just Data: How to Deliver Continuous Enterprise Data.Together, we share why better decision-making does not come from creating more reports. It comes from building the systems that allow trusted enterprise data to flow continuously to the people who need it, when they need it.If your organization is investing in dashboards, reporting tools, transformation, AI, or enterprise modernization, this conversation will help you see the data foundation underneath all of it.What you’ll learn:🔹 Why more reporting does not always lead to better decisions.🔹 How siloed systems and disconnected data slow strategy execution.🔹 Why executives may still lack decision-ready information with constant reports.🔹 What continuous enterprise data pipelines are and why they matter.🔹 Why AI cannot compensate for poor data quality.🔹 How PMO and transformation leaders can help protect and prioritize the data work.🔹 Why trusted data flow is becoming a strategy delivery capability, not just an IT concern.Press play and learn why better decision-making does not start with more dashboards. It starts with trusted enterprise data that supports decisions, action, and measurable IMPACT.Connect with Scott Ambler:Follow Scott Ambler on LinkedInVisit ScottAmbler.comP.S. AI can expose the real problem. The next IMPACT Application Lab helps you turn that problem into a leadership-ready reason for action. Make Your Case is live on August 20 and free for everyone who owns The IMPACT Engine. Get your book and join Make Your Case here. Thanks for taking the time to check out the podcast!I welcome your feedback and insights! I’d love to know what you think and if you love it, please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast player. Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. See you online!Warmly,Laura BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS
• 
  364: How PMOs Build Credibility 14.06.2026 42min

  Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Power SkillsOne of the hardest parts of leading a PMO has nothing to do with project management.It is credibility.You can have the right framework, the right tools, the right templates, and the right intentions. But if the organization does not trust the PMO yet, every process you introduce can feel like more overhead.More meetings.More reporting.More templates.More “governance.”And suddenly, the PMO that was created to help the organization deliver strategy is being seen as the thing slowing everyone down.That is the credibility deficit.And many PMOs start there before they have even had a chance to prove themselves.In this episode, I’m talking about how PMO leaders build credibility in a way that actually sticks. Not through control. Not through more process. Not by chasing people with templates and dashboards.Through visible business value.Because credibility does not come from authority. It comes from helping the organization solve real problems, make better decisions, and move strategy forward.In this episode, you’ll learn:• Why many PMOs start with skepticism instead of trust.• How to spot the credibility deficit before it becomes a bigger problem.• Why more process can make the PMO look like bureaucracy if value has not been demonstrated first.• The fastest way to build credibility with executives who are already questioning ROI.• Why visible early wins matter more than building the perfect operating model.• How to shift from reporting activity to communicating outcomes.• Why consistency is what turns one win into real executive trust.• How credibility expands your influence and earns the PMO a stronger role in strategy delivery.I also share a client example where the organization thought it had a delivery problem, but the real issue was prioritization. With more than 300 initiatives underway and everything treated like a top priority, no amount of extra methodology or reporting was going to fix the problem.The shift happened when the PMO helped leadership connect the work to the business goals, identify what truly mattered, and make the hard calls about what needed to pause.That is where credibility starts.Not by proving the PMO is busy.By proving the PMO helps the organization focus, decide, and deliver.If your PMO is doing good work but still not getting the trust, influence, or executive confidence to match, this episode will help you see what may be getting in the way and what to do next.Press play and learn the five moves that help PMO leaders build credibility, earn trust, and become the strategy delivery partner the organization actually needs.P.S. AI can expose the real problem. The next IMPACT Application Lab helps you turn that problem into a leadership-ready reason for action. Make Your Case is live on August 20 and free for everyone who owns The IMPACT Engine. Get your book and join Make Your Case here. Thanks for taking the time to check out the podcast!I welcome your feedback and insights! I’d love to know what you think and if you love it, please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast player. Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. See you online!Warmly,Laura BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS
• 
  363: AI Adoption That Sticks with Tracey Lovejoy 07.06.2026 29min

  Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Power SkillsPMOs rarely fail because of a weak plan.They fail because the adoption stalls. Pilots linger. Big bets like AI never move into everyday behavior. The initiative launches with energy. People say yes. Then six weeks in, nothing really changed.In this episode, I sit down with Tracey Lovejoy, behavioral scientist, strategist, and co-founder of Catalyst Constellations. Tracey spent 12 years at Microsoft leading innovation at the intersection of design, technology, and change. As an ICF certified executive coach, she helps leaders navigate complexity with clarity. And with a deep passion for unlocking human potential, she is the perfect guest to tackle the adoption problem head on.We get into what is really happening when change falls apart. And more importantly, what can you do about it right now.What You Will LearnWhy adoption fails before the plan is even finished.The biology of change resistance. And why is it not your enemy.Why people resist change done TO them. Not change they choose.The grief cycles inside every major initiative. Even the ones people wanted.Lovers, haters, and just don't care. How to move each group forward.Build your listening skills first. Everything else follows.The network map that has nothing to do with the org chart.Two red flags that predict transformation failure every time.Press play. Your initiatives can only succeed as far as your people follow. This is the conversation you did not know you needed.Connect with Tracey Lovejoy:Tracey Lovejoy on LinkedIncatalystconstellations.com/bookP.S. AI can expose the real problem. The next IMPACT Application Lab helps you turn that problem into a leadership-ready reason for action. Make Your Case is live on August 20 and free for everyone who owns The IMPACT Engine. Get your book and join Make Your Case here. Thanks for taking the time to check out the podcast!I welcome your feedback and insights! I’d love to know what you think and if you love it, please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast player. Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. See you online!Warmly,Laura BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS
• 
  362: 6 Powerful Steps to Building a PMO Executives Actually Trust 31.05.2026 38min

  Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Business AcumenMost PMOs do not fail because of the people leading them.They fail because they were designed around the project management process instead of business outcomes.Organizations launch PMOs hoping they will improve visibility, create accountability, and help leaders execute strategy. But too many PMOs become administrative overhead instead of strategic assets because they start with templates, governance, and reporting instead of solving the business problems executives care about.And executives are not asking for more templates.They are asking for confidence that the organization can deliver its strategy.In this episode, Laura Barnard walks through six powerful steps for building a PMO executives trust, support, and rely on to accelerate strategy delivery.You’ll learn: Why do most PMOs fail before they ever launch.The first question every PMO leader must answer before the building process.Why aligning the PMO with strategy changes how executives perceive its value.How PMOs accidentally create governance bottlenecks that slow delivery.Why early wins are critical to building executive trust.How to position your PMO as a strategy delivery engine instead of an administrative layer.The role PMOs should play across the entire strategy of lifecycle.Why do busy teams not always mean strategic progress.When a PMO is designed around business outcomes instead of project mechanics, everything changes.The PMO stops becoming a reporting function and starts becoming one of the most valuable strategic capabilities in the organization.Press play to learn how to build a PMO executive trust.P.S. AI can expose the real problem. The next IMPACT Application Lab helps you turn that problem into a leadership-ready reason for action. Make Your Case is live on August 20 and free for everyone who owns The IMPACT Engine. Get your book and join Make Your Case here. Thanks for taking the time to check out the podcast!I welcome your feedback and insights! I’d love to know what you think and if you love it, please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast player. Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. See you online!Warmly,Laura BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS
• 
  361: The Entrepreneurial Mindset Every PMO Leader Needs Right Now with Eddie Monroe 24.05.2026 40min

  Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Business AcumenPonder this - “Are you running a project or running a business?”Most project managers never ask that question. They track tasks, manage timelines, and report status. Meanwhile, executives are quietly asking a different question: does this person understand how the business works?I had an incredible conversation with Eddie Monroe, CEO of CCE Business Solutions, about what it really means to think and lead an entrepreneur inside a project or PMO role. Eddie founded CCE in 2022 on two non-negotiable principles: culture and customer experience. Those are not soft skills. Those are survival skills for project leaders who want a seat at the table.What You Will Learn How executives view PMO leaders and what they expectThe three intangibles Eddie looks for when hiring project leadersHow financial acumen separates good PMO leaders from great onesWhy 51% of PMOs shut down within 3 years and how to avoid that fatePress play and hear how project leaders who think like entrepreneurs stop getting managed out and start getting promoted up.Connect with Eddie Monroe on LinkedInWebsite: CCE Business SolutionsEmail: emonroe@ccebusiness.comBook: Your Career Will... Valuable Insight On What To ExpectFree 90-Minute PMO Workshop: Mention PMO Strategies when you reach out to Eddie Monroe to claim your free session, plus a complimentary 45-minute PMO Strategic Roadmap Session for your leadership team.P.S. If leadership keeps questioning the value of your PMO, the problem is probably not your team. It may be your starting point. Join me on Tuesday, June 2 at 12:00 PM EDT | 5:00 PM BST for a free House of PMO webinar on how PMOs can become seen, trusted, and valued for the IMPACT they create. This is also a great opportunity to ask questions if you’ve been curious about IMPACT Engine Fundamentals, IMPACT Engine Practitioner, or the full IMPACT Engine System. Register for the free webinar here.Thanks for taking the time to check out the podcast!I welcome your feedback and insights! I’d love to know what you think and if you love it, please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast player. Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. See you online!Warmly,Laura BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS
• 
  360: Top 5 PMO Mistakes That Keep PMOs from Demonstrating Value 17.05.2026 46min

  Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Business AcumenMany organizations still debate whether a PMO truly adds value. Some leaders see it as essential. Others believe it slows everything down. The reality is that most PMOs are judged based on outcomes they were never designed to deliver.In this episode, I talk about why so many PMOs struggle to demonstrate value and the five most common mistakes that lead to that problem. When a PMO focuses only on project mechanics instead of strategic outcomes, it risks becoming known for governance, reports, and meetings instead of results.Executives are rarely asking for more project documentation. What they want is confidence that the organization can turn strategy into real results.That shift requires a different approach. Governance must support decision-making. Metrics must connect to business outcomes. And the PMO must demonstrate early value that builds trust with leadership.When designed around outcomes instead of activity, the PMO becomes something far more powerful than a reporting function. It becomes the capability that helps the organization deliver its strategy.What You’ll Learn✓ Why many PMOs struggle to demonstrate value.✓ How governance can unintentionally slow execution.✓ Why measuring outputs instead of outcomes creates confusion.✓ How complexity and overdesign weaken PMO effectiveness.✓ Why delivering early results builds credibility for the PMO.Press play to learn what the top 5 mistakes PMOs make and how to avoid them. P.S. Many PMOs are working harder than ever and still struggling to earn the support needed to THRIVE, not just survive. The problem often isn’t the effort. It’s resistance, lack of engagement, and poor results. If you want to rebuild credibility with your executives and stakeholders FAST, the PMO Rescue Webinar walks through how to identify where your PMO is off track and shift to create immediate IMPACT. Learn more and register now. Thanks for taking the time to check out the podcast!I welcome your feedback and insights! I’d love to know what you think and if you love it, please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast player. Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. See you online!Warmly,Laura BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS
• 
  359: Trust and Alignment: The Real Drivers of Success with Dr. Kimberly Strickland 10.05.2026 38min

  Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Power SkillsStakeholder engagement is called a soft skill. It is one of the biggest drivers of delivery success.I had an incredible conversation with Dr. Kimberly Strickland. She is the Director of the PMO at SAS Institute. Kimberly leads complex government and education project work. She built the Keystone Relationship Strategy from 20 years of practice.PMO and transformation leaders lose momentum for one quiet reason. It is not weak plans or tools. It is trust and alignment eroding across your stakeholders.Kimberly shares the early signals that something is off. She walks through the moves that reset expectations fast. You will hear how 15 minutes can change a project.What you'll learnWhy projects rarely fail because the plan was weak.The early signals that trust and alignment have started to erode.The "meeting after the meeting" rule and why it matters.Why cameras on in virtual meetings is a leadership choice.The one 15-minute stakeholder conversation that can change a project.Three questions every leader should be asking right now.Why busy does not equal productive in delivery work.How to make trust visible and measurable as a PMO leader.Press play to learn the people-side moves that protect your projects. You will build credibility and accelerate the IMPACT you deliver. Process and people are not a choice. You need both, and Kimberly shows you how.Connect with Dr. Kimberly Strickland:Follow Kimberly on LinkedInSpecial offer from Kimberly: Download the Keystone Relationship Strategy Action Guide. It is a one-page checklist with reflection questions and stakeholder templates. Use it right away. Available at https://pmostrategies.com/359P.S. If leadership keeps questioning the value of your PMO, the problem is probably not your team. It may be your starting point. Join me on Tuesday, June 2 at 12:00 PM EDT | 5:00 PM BST for a free House of PMO webinar on how PMOs can become seen, trusted, and valued for the IMPACT they create. This is also a great opportunity to ask questions if you’ve been curious about IMPACT Engine Fundamentals, IMPACT Engine Practitioner, or the full IMPACT Engine System. Register for the free webinar here.Thanks for taking the time to check out the podcast!I welcome your feedback and insights! I’d love to know what you think and if you love it, please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast player. Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. See you online!Warmly,Laura BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS
• 
  358: 4 Questions to Ask Before Expanding Your PMO Services 03.05.2026 32min

  Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Business AcumenHave you ever felt the pressure to expand your PMO services because stakeholders keep asking for more? It can feel like a sign of success. If people are asking for more support, your PMO must be doing something right. However, adding services without the right strategy can quickly overwhelm your team and dilute your IMPACT. In this episode of the PMO Strategies podcast, I walk through four critical questions every PMO leader should ask before expanding their services. These questions help you determine whether new services will truly increase your strategic influence or simply create more complexity. When PMOs focus on the right services instead of more services, they become true drivers of organizational outcomes. What you'll learn • Why expanding PMO services too quickly can reduce your strategic influence. • The four questions every PMO leader should ask before adding services. • How to evaluate demand for new PMO capabilities. • How capacity and capability IMPACT PMO service expansion. • Why aligning services with business outcomes is essential. 🎧 Press play to discover the four questions that will help you expand your PMO services strategically. P.S. International PMO Day is May 12th. Join Laura Barnard and Alexander David for a live 2.5-hour session showing how to close the gap between strategy and measurable business IMPACT. → Register for free and get the Value Gap Assessment. Thanks for taking the time to check out the podcast!I welcome your feedback and insights! I’d love to know what you think and if you love it, please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast player. Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. See you online!Warmly,Laura BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONSMentioned in this episode:355: The Strategy Gap Your PMO Must Close Now
• 
  357: How to Lead Without Burning Out with Mita Broca 26.04.2026 39min

  Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Power SkillsMost leaders know sustainability as an environmental strategy. Reduce waste. Lower your carbon footprint. Build circular systems.But there is a version of sustainability that is not on any corporate dashboard. It lives inside the people responsible for executing strategy. And when it runs out, everything fails.In this episode, I had an incredible conversation with Mita Broca, Sustainability Leader of the PMI Norway Chapter, facilitator, and storyteller based in Oslo, Norway. Mita brings over 15 years of global experience partnering with orgs like Unilever, IKEA, Shell, and MasterCard. Working in sustainability, leadership, and human development, she makes it clear you cannot build regenerative organizations with depleted people.What You Will LearnThe difference between extractive and regenerative ways of working.Why 70% of large-scale transformation efforts fail and what it actually costs.The burnout signals that are already present and most leaders override them.One practical shift you can make this week to protect your energy and sustain your IMPACT.Press play. Your organization's strategy can only execute as far as your own capacity allows. This episode is the conversation you did not know you needed.Connect with Mita Broca:Mita Broca on LinkedInmitabroca.comP.S. If leadership keeps questioning the value of your PMO, the problem is probably not your team. It may be your starting point. Join me on Tuesday, June 2 at 12:00 PM EDT | 5:00 PM BST for a free House of PMO webinar on how PMOs can become seen, trusted, and valued for the IMPACT they create. This is also a great opportunity to ask questions if you’ve been curious about IMPACT Engine Fundamentals, IMPACT Engine Practitioner, or the full IMPACT Engine System. Register for the free webinar here.Thanks for taking the time to check out the podcast!I welcome your feedback and insights! I’d love to know what you think and if you love it, please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast player. Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. See you online!Warmly,Laura BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS
• 
  356: Helping Executives Make Better Decisions 19.04.2026 33min

  Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Business AcumenExecutives define strategy, but they don't always see what it takes to deliver it. That's where the PMO has a unique advantage.In this episode, I'm sharing how PMO leaders can move beyond delivery oversight and step into the role of strategic advisor. Because the PMO sits at the intersection of strategy and execution, it sees the full portfolio of initiatives, resource constraints, and dependencies that shape whether strategy succeeds or stalls.When leaders make decisions about new initiatives, shifting priorities, or reallocating resources, those choices affect everything already in motion. The PMO is often the only function with visibility across those interactions.That visibility creates an opportunity.I look at how PMO leaders can help executives understand the execution implications of their decisions, surface tradeoffs across the portfolio, and maintain focus on outcomes instead of activity.What You'll LearnWhy the PMO's position between strategy and execution gives it unique advisory value.How to help leaders see the portfolio IMPACT of new initiatives.Why strategy decisions continue long after planning sessions end.How PMOs help executives understand tradeoffs across competing initiatives.Why strategic advising builds trust and elevates the PMO's role.Press play to learn how PMO leaders can help executives make smarter strategic decisions and ensure strategy can actually be delivered.P.S. International PMO Day is May 12th. Join Laura Barnard and Alexander David for a live 2.5-hour session showing how to close the gap between strategy and measurable business IMPACT.→ Register free and get the Value Gap Assessment. Thanks for taking the time to check out the podcast!I welcome your feedback and insights! I’d love to know what you think and if you love it, please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast player. Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. See you online!Warmly,Laura BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONSMentioned in this episode:355: The Strategy Gap Your PMO Must Close Now
• 
  355: The Strategy Gap Your PMO Must Close Now 12.04.2026 32min

  Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Business AcumenYou have been told to “execute the strategy”, But does your organization even has one? If strategy looks like a list of competing priorities, you are not the problem.In this episode, I’m talking about how PMO leaders can support strategic planning. Strategy belongs to executive leadership. PMOs can facilitate the process that creates plans people can actually act on. That means addressing the elephant in the room: What matters most? What should we stop doing? What has to happen first?What You’ll Learn:• How to move the conversation from project lists to outcomes.• Why PMOs are natural planning facilitators.• How organizational visibility improves prioritization.• The questions leaders must answer before strategy becomes execution.This also ties directly to the strategy lifecycle I teach inside The IMPACT Engine Book. Strategy moves through definition, translation, execution, and realization. Today’s focus is the beginning, where clarity is built before delivery starts.Press play to hear how PMO leaders can guide strategic planning conversations, help executives prioritize what matters most, and translate strategy into work the organization can actually deliver.P.S. Celebrate and Elevate the PMO with International PMO Day. This special event celebrates PMO leaders who make an IMPACT and earn their seat at the table by solving real PMO challenges. I see you. This event is for you. Learn more about IPMO day here!Thanks for taking the time to check out the podcast!I welcome your feedback and insights! I’d love to know what you think and if you love it, please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast player. Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. See you online!Warmly,Laura BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONSMentioned in this episode:355: The Strategy Gap Your PMO Must Close Now
• 
  354: Stop Wasting Time: End Your Meeting-Based Culture Now 05.04.2026 29min

  Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Ways of WorkingMeetings aren’t the enemy. Dependency is. In this episode, I address a problem many PMO and transformation leaders quietly create: operating models where nothing moves unless everyone gathers in a room. Meetings are part of leadership. Alignment, tradeoffs, escalation, and decisions often require conversation. But when calendars become the operating model, execution suffers. If your team spends all day in meetings and all night doing the real work, that’s not a productivity issue. It’s a system design issue. Key Takeaways: Why meeting saturation signals weak governance design. How undefined decision rights create calendar dependency. The difference between decision-driven meetings and status theater. Why execution shifts to nights and weekends in over-scheduled cultures. How to redesign your environment so meetings produce leverage A portfolio review that makes no prioritization decisions isn’t governance. It’s performance. 👉 Press play to hear your next move. When meeting them changes nothing. P.S. If your PMO is struggling to show strategic value, positioning may be the problem. Watch the free Rescue Your PMO webinar to diagnose what’s off track. Get the exact steps to turn things around fast. Learn more and register now.Thanks for taking the time to check out the podcast!I welcome your feedback and insights! I’d love to know what you think and if you love it, please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast player. Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. See you online!Warmly,Laura BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS
• 
  353: Dangerous Risk Mistakes PMO Leaders Make Every Day with Russ Parker 29.03.2026 45min

  Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Ways of WorkingMost PMOs acknowledge risk management. Very few actually practice it. There is a difference between logging risks and managing them, and that gap is quietly costing organizations the projects they cannot afford to lose.In this episode of the PMO Strategies podcast, I am joined by Russ Parker, PMP®, PMI-RMP®, PMI-ACP®, owner of 44 Risk PM and a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer. Russ draws direct parallels between military planning discipline and how project organizations should embed real risk expertise to stop operating in perpetual crisis mode and start delivering the outcomes they were hired to produce.Key Takeaways: Why risk registers get created once and never revisited, and the pattern behind itThe three root causes that turn risk management into an organizational formalityHow project managers accidentally become fire starters instead of fire preventersWhat a Risk Management Professional actually does inside a PMOHow AI accelerates risk identification, historical analysis, and risk workshop preparationOne of the most underused tools in project managementWhy positive risks are being ignored and what that costs your project deliveryPractical steps to build risk management discipline right nowPress play to discover how adding disciplined, specialized risk management to your PMO structure could be the most strategic decision you make for your project delivery outcomes this year.Connect with Russ Parker: Follow Russ on LinkedInLearn more about 44 Risk PMSubscribe to The Bearded Risk PM on YouTubeP.S. If leadership keeps questioning the value of your PMO, the problem is probably not your team. It may be your starting point. Join me on Tuesday, June 2 at 12:00 PM EDT | 5:00 PM BST for a free House of PMO webinar on how PMOs can become seen, trusted, and valued for the IMPACT they create. This is also a great opportunity to ask questions if you’ve been curious about IMPACT Engine Fundamentals, IMPACT Engine Practitioner, or the full IMPACT Engine System. Register for the free webinar here.Thanks for taking the time to check out the podcast!I welcome your feedback and insights! I’d love to know what you think and if you love it, please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast player. Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. See you online!Warmly,Laura BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS
• 
  352: 5 Ways to Turn Failure Into Strategic Feedback 22.03.2026 22min

  Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Power SkillsFailure hits differently when you lead transformation. When governance fails to stick. When prioritization gets ignored. When a roadmap stalls. It feels personal. But what if it's not failure? What if it's feedback? In this episode, I challenge the belief that setbacks are verdicts. We reframe them as data that sharpens strategy and design. What You'll Learn: • Why transformation setbacks feel personal for PMO leaders • The difference between failure thinking and feedback thinking • How governance breakdowns expose executive misalignment • The early career lesson that led to The IMPACT Engine • What failing forward looks like in disciplined PMO leadership 🎧 Press play to shift from protecting credibility to strengthening your system. P.S. Is your PMO seen as overhead instead of strategic? Most PMOs don't fail because of people or tools. They fail because of positioning. Watch the free Rescue Your PMO webinar to assess what's going wrong and fix it fast. Learn more and register now. Thanks for taking the time to check out the podcast!I welcome your feedback and insights! I’d love to know what you think and if you love it, please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast player. Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. See you online!Warmly,Laura BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS