PMO Strategies

Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!
PMI Talent Triangle: Business Acumen
Industry benchmarking has become one of the most sophisticated ways leaders justify decisions they already want to make.

“Top-performing organizations are doing this.”
“Best-in-class companies operate at this maturity level.”

Suddenly the direction feels obvious. Except it isn’t.

In this episode, I examine how benchmarking quietly derails performance when context is mistaken for strategy. Maturity chasing feels disciplined. Governance expansion feels responsible. But when structure outpaces capability, execution slows instead of accelerates.

You’ll hear why benchmarking is politically powerful, how maturity models create false signals of advancement, and where complexity without capability creates fragility inside your governance systems.

What You’ll Learn
1️⃣Why benchmarking reduces accountability instead of strengthening it
2️⃣How maturity scores improve while performance stays flat
3️⃣The structural law that complexity must match capability
4️⃣The disciplined test leaders should apply before adopting any benchmark
▶️Press play to learn how to design governance systems for measurable IMPACT instead of optics.

P.S. Stop doing everything yourself and start driving transformation. The IMPACT Engine System™ is our self-paced, implementation framework designed for strategy delivery leaders. Show up with the clarity and confidence your organization needs. Learn more and get started today!
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 Barnard
GET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS

Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!
PMI Talent Triangle: Power Skills
If spreadsheets were the secret to PMO credibility, you’d already have a seat at the executive table.

Instead, many PMO leaders are buried in trackers, refining templates, and chasing status updates… still not being seen as strategic partners.

In this episode, I’m reflecting on why tools feel productive but often keep you stuck. I share how over-processing slows you down, how documentation gets mistaken for delivery, and what to focus on instead if you actually want traction and trust.

What You’ll Learn:
✅ Why tools feel safe but don’t build credibility
✅ How over-governance turns you into the bottleneck
✅ Why documentation is not the same as delivery
✅ What happens when you stay buried in templates
✅ How to pivot from tracking activity to driving real business value
Spreadsheets are useful. Templates are helpful. But they are not the secret to successful leadership.

👉 Press play and learn how to stop hiding in tools and start leading with strategy.

P.S. If you’re tired of polishing dashboards and ready to build a true strategic operating system, the IMPACT Engine System™ gives you the framework to shift from tracking work to driving measurable IMPACT. Learn more and register today!
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 Barnard
GET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS

Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!
PMI Talent Triangle: Power Skills
If someone looked at your calendar for the last two weeks, would they see a business leader or a high-priced administrative assistant?
You tell everyone you’re strategic. You say you’re focused on value. But if your day is packed wall to wall with status updates, meeting invites, and data chasing, your calendar is telling a different story. It’s telling your organization that you are in the weeds, you’re overwhelmed, and you aren’t available for the strategic conversations that actually move the needle.

In this episode, we talk about the "Time Audit." I share a story about a colleague who mastered the "Power Hour" and why most PMO leaders are doing $15 an hour work while receiving a $50 an hour paycheck. It is time to stop proving you can do everything and start showing you know what to prioritize.

What You’ll Learn:
How to conduct a real time audit to identify your leadership leaks
The math behind why "comfort work" is threatening your strategic value perception
Why no one ever got promoted for being excellent at Excel
How to reclaim your "Power Hour" to focus on strategy before execution

▶ Press ️play to learn how to audit your time and shift your focus back to where it belongs: on strategy, alignment, and driving business IMPACT.

P.S. Looking for more guidance on how to build your strategic value as a PMO, transformation, or strategy delivery leader? The IMPACT Engine System helps leadership teams shift from reactive oversight to outcome ownership with the strategic alignment and clarity they need. Learn more and get started today!
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 Barnard
GET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS

Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!
PMI Talent Triangle: Ways of Working
Is your PMO measured by how tightly it controls process and compliance, or by how much it actually contributes to the bottom line?

Old school PMOs were built for predictability, documentation, and control. In a business landscape that moves this fast, that model has a shelf life. The real divide today is control versus contribution. The PMOs that adapt faster deliver outcomes sooner, earn stakeholder trust, and prove their value with data.

In this episode, I have an incredible conversation with Youssef Mouzahem, Senior Associate Director of Commercial and Contracts at Jacobs. We dig into how you can evolve your PMO from enforcing processes to driving real business value.

What You’ll Learn:
Why traditional PMOs are losing relevance and exactly what is replacing them
How to balance structure with speed through adaptive governance
The critical role of predictive analytics in proving business value to executives
How to move your PMO from compliance driven to results driven
The first steps to diagnose your PMO’s maturity and start building your roadmap

▶ Press ️play to learn how to shift your PMO from process-heavy control to an agile, data-driven engine of measurable business value.

Connect with Youssef Mouzahem:
Follow Youssef on LinkedIn
Learn More About Jacobs

P.S. The IMPACT Engine System helps leadership teams shift from reactive oversight to outcome ownership with the strategic alignment and clarity they need. Learn more and get started today!
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 Barnard
GET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS

Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!
PMI Talent Triangle: Power Skills
85% of managers are accidental managers; promoted without preparation. So how do you uncover blind spots, strengthen psychological safety, and lead with clarity?

Ben Perreau, CEO of Parafoil, combines AI and behavioral science to help managers become stronger leaders. Discover why traditional leadership development fails PMO leaders and how leadership intelligence offers a practical approach to continuous growth through real-time feedback.

What You’ll Learn:
Why 85% of managers feel unprepared for leadership
Blind spots AI helps you spot in real time
How AI-powered feedback differs from traditional coaching
The single most important feedback ritual every leader needs to put in place
Why your superpower isn't in fixing weaknesses; it's in building on your strengths

Press ▶️ play above to discover how leadership intelligence can transform the way you lead your team.

Connect with Ben
Email the Parafoil team
Connect on LinkedIn

P.S. Want to move from accidental manager to strategic leader? The IMPACT Engine System gives you the framework to uncover your blind spots, build team trust, and lead with confidence. Learn more and register 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 Barnard
GET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS