PMO Strategies

319: You Get More Bees With Honey with Brandy Brown

Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Power SkillsEveryone talks about PMO frameworks. We’re talking about the humans behind them. If your playbook starts with process instead of people, you're skipping the most important part of the work: understanding how your organization really functions—politically, emotionally, and psychologically. In this episode, I’m joined by Brandy Brown, one of our incredible IMPACT Accelerator Mastermind students, an enterprise PMO leader and organizational strategist with a background in industrial/organizational psychology. Brandy brings a human-centered approach to strategy and change, with a strong track record of driving sustainable results across complex organizations. We explore what actually creates traction when you're standing up or evolving a PMO. It’s not flashy launches or heavyweight governance. It’s sponsorship that challenges you, credibility built on quick wins, and a strategic approach to human behavior inside complex organizations. Whether you’re starting from scratch or working within an established EPMO, this episode gives you the perspective, tools, and mindset to lead real transformation. What You'll Learn: Why understanding human behavior is a PMO essential, not a bonus How Brandy used sponsorship to create traction and accountability The psychology behind quick wins and credibility loops How to design collaboration that builds pull (not push) What it means to lead with empathy inside political organizations 👉 Press play to learn how to build a trust-first PMO that actually sticks. Connect with Brandy: Follow her on LinkedIn P.S. If you're ready to master leadership mindset like Brandy, join her and other industry leaders inside the IMPACT Accelerator Mastermind! With expert coaching, deep-dive workshops, and hands-on support, you’ll get the structure and guidance to lead with clarity, deliver with purpose, and create real, lasting IMPACT. 🚀 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 BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS

318: Stop Doing It All Alone

Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Power SkillsYou don’t prove your leadership by taking on everything yourself. You prove it by creating space, enabling others, and delivering results that last. In this episode, I’m calling out the hidden cost of wearing “busy” like a badge—and why so many high-performing leaders quietly hold themselves back by refusing to ask for help. We’ll talk about how the lone hero mindset sabotages your growth, what real executive-level leadership looks like, and how to shift from doing the work…to leading the work. If you’ve been telling yourself “I’ve got it,” when what you really need is a team beside you—this conversation is for you. What You'll Learn: Why doing it all yourself isn’t sustainable—or strategic How the lone hero mindset blocks your growth A real-world story of shared ownership that changed everything What top executives understand about asking for help How to build trust, increase clarity, and lead through others 👉 Press play to learn how to stop doing it all alone—and start leading like an executive. P.S. The IMPACT Insiders Book Club is so much more than reading a book—it's a movement. Join us for live calls, deep conversations, and a behind-the-scenes look at how to create real change with The IMPACT Engine. It’s completely free—grab your seat now and don’t miss what’s next. 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 BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS

317: Getting the Job Done with Kevin Torf

Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Ways of WorkingIf your projects are hitting deadlines but missing the point—this episode is for you. Kevin Torf isn’t interested in checking boxes. After four decades leading large-scale IT and infrastructure projects across major health systems and Fortune 500s, he’s built a reputation on one thing: getting the job done—in full, at scale, and with measurable business value. In this episode, Kevin breaks down the PROJECTS framework—a hybrid-Agile model designed to help PMOs lead complex initiatives with clear structure, empowered teams, and outcomes that actually matter. You’ll hear how high-performing organizations juggle moving targets without burning out their people, how they define governance without creating gridlock, and how they stop chasing status and start delivering strategic traction. Plans don’t drive value. Execution does—especially when it’s adaptive, team-driven, and outcome-focused. What You'll Learn: Why the triple constraint won’t earn executive trust How to apply Kevin’s PROJECTS framework to real-world complexity What true team empowerment looks like (hint: it’s not micromanagement) How to set up decision structures that accelerate, not stall What to measure when “on time and on budget” isn’t enough 👉 Press play to learn how having the right structure, teams, and rhythms moves strategy across the finish line. Connect with Kevin: Follow Kevin on LinkedIn Access Getting the Job Done book Visit T2Group P.S. The IMPACT Insiders Book Club is so much more than reading a book—it's a movement. Join us for live calls, deep conversations, and a behind-the-scenes look at how to create real change with The IMPACT Engine. It’s completely free—grab your seat now and don’t miss what’s next. 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 BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS

316: What's Behind the Resistance

Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Power SkillsResistance gets blamed on people. But in reality, it’s almost always the process. If your team stalls, misses deadlines, or avoids your intake forms, it's not because they don't care. It's because they’re stuck in a system full of blockers. The approvals, the checklists, the uncertainty, the silence. That’s the friction. And friction kills flow. In this episode, I’ll show you how to spot the systems that create resistance, how to reduce the barriers that get in your team's way, and what it really means to design for performance. What You’ll Learn: Why resistance is usually created by the process, not the people What quiet resistance actually looks like in high-performing teams How to remove blockers without sacrificing accountability The difference between flow and pressure Why "good enough" beats perfect when you’re building momentum 👉 Press play to find out what’s driving resistance and what to do when your system is the problem. P.S. This is your last week to grab a personalized, signed copy of my bestselling book, The IMPACT Engine — and you’ll get the e-book version FREE so you can start reading instantly, plus a bunch of extra FREE goodies. Only 50 copies are available, and they’re going fast! Grab it here. P.P.S. If you’ve already bought any version of The IMPACT Engine book previously, don’t forget to sign up for our Book Club. The IMPACT Insiders Book Club is so much more than reading a book — it's a movement. Join us for live calls, deep conversations, and a behind-the-scenes look at how to create real change with The IMPACT Engine. It’s completely free — grab your seat now and don’t miss what’s next.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 BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS

315: 10 Things I Wish I Knew Sooner

Welcome to the PMO Strategies Podcast + Blog, where PMO leaders become IMPACT Drivers!PMI Talent Triangle: Power SkillsThis episode is personal, and it’s tactical. For my birthday this year, I’m sharing the 10 lessons I wish someone had handed me when I was starting out. These are the truths I had to learn the hard way: through friction, burnout, and wasted time trying to prove my value instead of designing for it. If you've ever spent more time defending your role than doing your job, this one's for you. What You’ll Learn: Why “on time, on scope, on budget” is a trap How to lead without waiting for permission The real reason no one sees the value you’re adding What friction in your process is actually costing you How to build a system that speaks for itself 👉 Press play to hear the 10 lessons that will save you years of frustration and show you how to lead with clarity, credibility, and momentum. P.S. It’s my birthday week, and I’m celebrating with something special just for you. 🎉 The full reveal drops publicly on my birthday—Thursday, July 10th—but newsletter subscribers get early access on Wednesday, July 9th. This exclusive offer will be available 24 hours before the release date, and quantities are limited, so be sure to subscribe and watch your inbox closely! 🎁 P.P.S. If you’ve already bought any version of The IMPACT Engine book previously, don’t forget to sign up for our Book Club. The IMPACT Insiders Book Club is so much more than reading a book — it's a movement. Join us for live calls, deep conversations, and a behind-the-scenes look at how to create real change with The IMPACT Engine. It’s completely free — grab your seat now and don’t miss what’s next. 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 BarnardGET NOTIFIED ABOUT NEW EPISODES | TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN | PDU REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS