Episode 348

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Published on:

22nd Feb 2026

348: Does Your Schedule Reflect a Strategic Leader?

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!   

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I welcome your feedback and insights! 

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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