Episode 349

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Published on:

1st Mar 2026

349: 5 Reasons Spreadsheets Are Killing Your PMO Credibility

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

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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

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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