Hi Reader,
How do you effectively convey your project's value to leadership?
You know your project is essential. You’ve spent months in the weeds—gathering requirements, aligning stakeholders, prepping for approvals.
But here’s the thing: just knowing it’s important isn’t enough. If leadership doesn’t see the value clearly, your project might never get the green light.
Many project managers struggle to present their work in a way that resonates with leadership. We tend to focus on what we know best—budgets, deadlines, tasks.
But executives want to hear something different: why this project matters to the business as a whole.
Master the art of communicating project value
As PMs move into management roles, it's critical to develop the skills needed to effectively convey their project's value to business leaders.
I consider myself a “Geeky PM”—I love the systems, the structure, the spreadsheets. But when I’m presenting to company leadership, I have to pause that side of me.
Executives aren’t looking for the nitty-gritty. They want clarity.
- What’s being done?
- What outcomes can we expect?
- How will this move the business forward?
Win over executive stakeholders
How do we communicate project value to leadership that showcases our project’s strategic impact?
Project managers are great at gathering metrics like project budget/schedule variance, risks, and issues —but when it comes to business metrics, we might need a little boost.
To show the true value of your project, speak in terms leadership cares about. That means going beyond project metrics—and tapping into business impact.
Work with functional leaders to frame your project in business terms like:
- Return on Investment (ROI)
- Net Present Value (NPV)
- Customer satisfaction and retention
- Revenue growth
- Market share gains
- Cost savings
- Productivity improvements
Bonus points for going deeper with metrics that often get overlooked, like:
- Brand strength
- Environmental/social impact
- Employee engagement
- Innovation potential
- Cultural alignment
- Change readiness and knowledge sharing
Even leaving just a few of these into your presentation can shift your project from a “nice to have” to a “must have.”
Because here’s the thing—if leadership doesn’t see the strategic value, your project could get put on the backburner.
And in times of uncertainty, leaving important projects unfinished due to hesitancy can cost more in the long run.
Companies that thrive are the ones that stay proactive—not the ones who hit pause and wait.
Geeky PM to Strategic PM
Being a "Geeky PM" has a time and a place, especially when leading a team through shifting deadlines and deliverables—it's crucial to wear this hat.
However, a "Strategic PM" requires stepping back from the details to collaborate with business leaders, fully understanding the project's value.
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Barbara Kephart, PMP
Founder and Chief Project Officer
Projects Pivot
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