Episode 321

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Published on:

17th Aug 2025

321: The Rise of the Chief Project Officer with Aina Alive

Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!

PMI Talent Triangle: Business Acumen

PMOs were never meant to be just support teams. They’re strategic engines—and it’s time the world caught up. 

 

If you’ve been delivering projects without influence, you’re missing the opportunity to lead your company’s strategy from the inside out. 

 

In this episode, I’m joined by Aina Alive, Founder and CEO at Bee Agile and CEO and VP of Marketing at The PMO Community, and the lead editor of the Amazon bestseller The Evolution of the PMO: Rise of the Chief Project Officer, a global collaboration from 40 thought leaders across 6 continents challenging everything we thought we knew about project leadership. 

 

Together, we discuss why execution is no longer a back-office function and how a new kind of leader is emerging: the Chief Project Officer (CPO). 

 

This isn’t about renaming the PMO. It’s about reclaiming execution as a strategic capability, and building the mindset, skills, and partnerships that turn PMO leaders into strategy navigators and trusted business advisors. 

 

What You'll Learn:  

  • Why project execution is becoming a strategic differentiator 
  • What separates the Chief Project Officer (CPO) from traditional PMO leaders 
  • How to evolve from execution support to executive business partner 
  • What AI is changing (and not changing) about the role of human leadership 
  • Why emotional intelligence is now a core competency for PMO leaders 
  • First steps to reposition your PMO as a trusted strategic arm of the business 


👉 Press play to learn how the future of execution belongs to those bold enough to lead it. 

 

Connect with Aina: 

Follow her on LinkedIn 

Grab the book The Evolution of the PMO & Rise of the Chief Project Officer 

Visit BeeAgile’s website 

Check out The PMO Strategy and Execution Hub 

 

P.S. Lead where strategy happens. The IMPACT Accelerator Mastermind gives you the coaching, tools, and support to stop operating like a support function and start delivering the business outcomes your executives are counting on. Click here to learn more! 🚀 

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

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About the Podcast

PMO Strategies
with Laura Barnard
In this podcast, PMO leaders and those wanting to capitalize on the best of project management to deliver the organization’s strategy will uncover the hidden secrets of the best PMOs, learn the game-changing techniques that transform any PMO into a value-driven IMPACT Engine, and explore the best ways for the PMO to become an integral part of the fabric and future of an organization. After spending two and a half decades helping organizations deliver change, with 15 of those years in the shoes of PMO leader inside organizations, Laura strongly believes that there is more to making an IMPACT than templates, tools, and process. She’ll show you how to make the shifts necessary to become a business-focused PMO that will become an invaluable organizational asset. With her guests and insights, we explore the sticky situations and tough challenges PMO leaders face, from sorting through all of the “noise” about what the PMO “should” do to finding the best ways for your PMO to make an IMPACT. Listen in, and you can discover how to shift your focus from outputs to outcomes, fundamentally changing the game for your PMO and personal success.

About your host

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Laura Barnard