Episode 355

full
Published on:

12th Apr 2026

355: The Strategy Gap Your PMO Must Close Now

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

PMI Talent Triangle: Business Acumen

You 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 Barnard

GET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS

Mentioned in this episode:

355: The Strategy Gap Your PMO Must Close Now

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

Listen for free

Show artwork for PMO Strategies

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

Profile picture for Laura Barnard

Laura Barnard