How to Communicate Project Value to Leadership

Project managers excel at scope, schedule, and budget, but often struggle to show senior leaders the true value of their work. Barbara Kephart, with extensive experience in project, program, and portfolio management, offers a clear approach to bridging this gap. She explains how translating technical reports into leadership’s language—linking metrics to strategic objectives—can shift executive perception.

Barbara stresses knowing your audience and aligning updates to what leaders care about, from financial returns to customer satisfaction. She warns against overwhelming detail and advises focusing on metrics that directly influence decisions. Her practical tips show how to select meaningful measures, tie them to organizational goals, and present them concisely.

Listeners will value her real-world examples where reframing project information led to stronger executive engagement. Whether preparing for a review, portfolio meeting, or quick sponsor update, Barbara’s repeatable process helps keep leadership informed and invested.

*Eligible for 0.75 Business Acumen PDU

How to Earn PMP PDUs for The PMI Talent Triangle

As a project manager, you’ll know that your professional learning doesn’t stop after you pass the PMP® exam. Every day is a learning day on some projects!

The skills you need to deliver successful projects also evolve over time, depending on the industry you are in and the type of work you are doing. If you asked your colleagues, or your peers at a PMI® Chapter event, what makes a good project manager, you would hear as many responses as people asked. Being a successful project manager means developing a vast range of skills, competencies and behaviors.

How do you do that? And more importantly, what skills exactly are we talking about? The PMI Talent Triangle™ answers both those questions by providing a framework for your ongoing professional development. The PMI Triangle covers three distinct areas and in this article, we’ll explain how it works, and how you can map your PDUs to the Talent Triangle.