PMO Strategies

Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!
PMI Talent Triangle: Business Acumen
Have you ever spent weeks crafting the "perfect" PMO charter, got executive sign-off, and then watched it collect dust while stakeholders still questioned your value?

Here's what nobody tells you: You don't need a charter. Not first. Not yet. And maybe not at all.

In this episode, I'm calling out the biggest myth in PMO establishment—that you need a formal charter to be legitimate.

Spoiler alert: Projects need charters. But if you're building a strategic function? You need something completely different.

Here's what you'll discover:
Why charters are strategy in a vacuum (and how that backfires)
The six stages of the IMPACT Engine System™ that successful PMOs follow
How to build trust and credibility BEFORE you define your structure
Why you need a business plan, not a charter
The exact process for co-creating services that stakeholders actually want

Bottom line: Does the sales department have a charter? Does IT? Does Finance? No. They have business plans. Because they're built to deliver ongoing value, not temporary results.

Your PMO is no different.

Ready to stop defending promises you made too early and start building a PMO the business actually wants?

Click play to listen now and learn why the traditional charter approach sets you up for failure (it's basically strategy in a vacuum), and what successful PMOs do instead.

P.S. If you're ready to become the strategy navigator your business needs, the IMPACT Engine Practitioner Certification gives you the coaching, tools, and step-by-step framework to make it happen. This live online workshop runs for four half-day sessions: February 11-12 and 18-19, 2026. Learn more and register now!
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:
339: You Are Not Your Certifications

Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!
PMI Talent Triangle: Power Skills
Confidence as a PMO leader doesn’t come from having the loudest voice in the room, the most templates, or the perfect dashboard. Real confidence comes from clarity—knowing what matters, why it matters, and how the work you’re leading actually creates impact.
In this episode of the PMO Strategies podcast, I describe what confidence really looks like for PMO leaders, why so many capable leaders struggle with self-doubt, and how a trusted framework changes everything. We talk about the hidden cost of operating in reactive mode and how clarity—not hustle—is what builds confidence that lasts.
Through real-world examples and a powerful leadership story, I share how PMO leaders can stop second-guessing themselves and start leading with intention, credibility, and IMPACT.

What you’ll learn
Why confidence is rooted in clarity, not charisma
How operating without structure erodes leadership confidence
Where confident PMO leaders actually get their confidence
How a trusted framework eliminates second-guessing
Why clarity fuels credibility and influence

🎧 Listen now to learn how to become a confident PMO leader with a roadmap you can trust.

🎯 Learn more:
If you’re ready to stop winging it and start leading with confidence, the IMPACT Engine Practitioner Certification gives you a proven framework to design, deliver, and communicate PMO value with clarity. This live online workshop runs for four half-day sessions February 11-12 and 18-19. 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
GET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS
Mentioned in this episode:
340: Close Your Year Strong

Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!
PMI Talent Triangle: Power Skills
Hello January! New year, new PMO goals!
By now, I’m guessing you’re already dealing with a full inbox and back-to-back meetings. And just like that...the excitement you had about improving your PMO is starting to fade as the noise takes over again.

This is the point where most PMO leaders start losing the year. Not in March. Not in Q2. Right here, when urgency returns faster than intention does.

In this episode, I’m not talking about resolutions. I’m talking about structure. The kind that changes what you say yes to, what you say no to, and how you set focus before the calendar fills up.

You’ll learn:
✅ Why resolutions fail leaders and what strategic leaders do instead.
✅ How to define one leadership decision that changes how you show up.
✅ How to choose a 30-day outcome that creates visible momentum.
✅ How to align with executives and stakeholders before you deliver.
✅ A practical weekly playbook to protect focus and show progress fast.
👉 Press play to avoid starting January on autopilot. And don’t forget to download the Start Stronger worksheet so you can lock your leadership decision, set your January outcome, and build a 30-day plan that holds once the pressure ramps up.

P.S. If you missed the first session, this is your opportunity to catch it live. I’m hosting another FREE live workshop, Building a Case for a Strategy-Driven PMO, on January 15 from 11:00–12:30 pm Eastern. We’ll focus on how to diagnose what’s getting in the way, align stakeholders, and build delivery plans that create visible results. This is your chance to work through it with me in real time. 👉 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
GET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS
Mentioned in this episode:
339: You Are Not Your Certifications

Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!
PMI Talent Triangle: Power Skills
As the year comes to a close, most PMO and transformation leaders are scrambling to finish projects, finalize reports, or jump straight into planning for next year. But here’s the question I want you to stop and ask yourself: are you reviewing what you did this year, or the IMPACT you already created? That difference lies between ending the year exhausted and starting the next one positioned as a strategic leader.
In this episode, I walk you through a different way to close the year. Instead of treating your year-end review as a status report, I show you how to turn it into a strategy conversation. Focus instead on reflecting with purpose, eliminating work that drains your credibility, and clearly articulating the business value you created, so leaders actually pay attention.
You’ll learn:
✅ How to reframe your year-end review around outcomes, not activity.
✅ What to stop doing so you can focus on higher-IMPACT work.
✅ How to position elimination as strategic leadership, not laziness.
✅ How to turn your year-end review into a forward-looking strategy conversation.
👉 Press play to close the year strong, reclaim your focus, and position yourself as a leader who drives real IMPACT. And don’t forget to download your Year-End Leadership Reset workbook to ensure you’re all set for what’s to come in 2026.

P.S. If you're ready to move beyond task tracking and prove your PMO's strategic value, it’s time to claim your seat in the IMPACT Engine Practitioner Certification program. This isn't about collecting another credential for your resume; it's about mastering a proven system that gets you a seat at the leadership table.
👉 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
GET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS
Mentioned in this episode:
340: Close Your Year Strong

Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!
PMI Talent Triangle: Power Skills
How many certifications do you need before you’re “ready”? One more? Two?
Here’s the truth: you’ll never feel ready by studying more. Because credibility doesn’t come from the letters after your name. It comes from the battles you’ve won, the chaos you’ve managed, and the decisions you’ve made when there was no textbook answer.
In this episode, I am sharing the credential trap I hear constantly from PMO leaders and project professionals: “I’m not ready yet.” “I need to know more.” “Once I have my [insert acronym], then I’ll be taken seriously.”

This mindset isn’t protecting you; it’s paralyzing you. Chasing certifications can feel like progress while keeping you stuck in “polished procrastination,” especially when it’s the typical cram, exam, and forget cycle.

You’ll learn:
✅ Why certifications can give you frameworks and language, but not credibility.
✅ How “one more certification” often becomes polished procrastination.
✅ Why executives don’t care what you know, but what you can do with that knowledge.
✅ How your real-world experience becomes proof that earns a seat at the table.
✅ What to look for in a certification if you want real application, not memorization.
👉 Press play to stop waiting to feel “qualified enough,” own the credibility you’ve already earned, and lead with the confidence that comes from doing the work and delivering IMPACT.

P.S. If you're ready to move beyond task tracking and prove your PMO's strategic value, it’s time to claim your seat in the IMPACT Engine Practitioner Certification program. This isn't about collecting another credential for your resume; it's about mastering a proven system that gets you a seat at the leadership table. 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
GET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS
Mentioned in this episode:
339: You Are Not Your Certifications