367: What Executives Really Think About Your PMO with Rich Smith
Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!
PMI Talent Triangle: Business Acumen
Most PMOs are working hard. That is not the problem.
The problem is that the work they are doing is not always connected clearly enough to the outcomes executives care about. And when your PMO cannot connect its work to revenue, cost savings, risk reduction, strategic growth, or measurable business IMPACT, it becomes much easier for leaders to see the PMO as overhead instead of a strategic growth partner.
In this episode, I am joined by Rich Smith, a Chief Marketing Officer and growth strategist with over 25 years of experience leading digital transformation, revenue strategy, and cross-functional execution across B2B and B2C organizations. Rich has spent his career helping executives align leadership vision with measurable outcomes. He has been on both sides of the table: leading transformation efforts and serving as the executive customer of PMOs. His perspective is one you need to hear.
What Rich shares will sound familiar to every IMPACT Driver listening. The same gaps that hold PMO leaders back are happening in marketing, in sales, in operations, across every function. This is not a PMO problem. It is an organizational problem. And the good news is your PMO is positioned to fix it.
What You Will Learn:
🔹 Why executives may struggle to connect PMO reports to business outcomes
🔹 How to tie project work to revenue, cost savings, strategic risk, and measurable IMPACT
🔹 Why framing projects as risk avoidance can get faster executive buy-in
🔹 How to build a broader base of executive support beyond one sponsor
🔹 Why asking questions is a power move, not a sign of weakness
🔹 How to frame data so executives can absorb it and act on it
🔹 What the PMO of the future looks like and the design shift that changes everything
Press play and hear what your executives are thinking but not saying. This conversation will change how you show up in every executive room.
Connect with Rich Smith:
P.S. The first IMPACT Application Lab workshop is almost here! Map the Mess will help you take one real strategy delivery challenge and identify what is actually getting in the way.
This three-part series is FREE for everyone who owns The IMPACT Engine. Your book is your ticket.
Join today by ordering your copy of the book or registering for the IMPACT Insiders book club!
Thanks for taking the time to check out the podcast!
I welcome your feedback and insights!
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Warmly,
Laura Barnard
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