Enterprise projects finish on time and on budget while delivering zero business impact. The pattern repeats across industries. Teams execute flawlessly, leadership celebrates completion, and the business remains fundamentally unchanged. Cindi Stevenson has spent 25 years as Managing Director of Strategic Initiatives, watching this disconnect destroy value. The problem isn’t execution capability but strategic connection. “Too often, organizations run parallel efforts without asking how this moves us closer to our core goals,” Stevenson explains. “Enterprise project management should start with clarity: clear goals, clear success metrics, and a clear connection to strategic vision.”
When Strategy and Execution Disconnect
Most organizations approve projects based on budgets and timelines without forcing a clear articulation of strategic contribution. This creates portfolios full of activity-consuming resources without advancing priorities. “When teams see why, they’re more engaged and aligned with the how,” Stevenson notes. The alignment she describes means every project can articulate which strategic priority it advances and how success will be measured in business terms.
Resources are finite, which means every project consuming budget without driving strategic value prevents investment in projects that would. Alignment also means killing projects that don’t advance priorities, even if they’re already in flight. The disconnect persists because project governance operates separately from strategy governance. Portfolio reviews focus on execution status without asking whether completed work will change business performance.
Governance as Enabler or Obstacle
Governance determines whether projects move at the speed of business or get bogged down in approvals. “A strong governance model isn’t about bureaucracy. It’s about clarity and accountability,” Stevenson emphasizes. Most governance models slow execution by requiring approvals at levels too far removed from context. Teams wait weeks for committee meetings to approve decisions that should happen immediately.
“Governance ensures decisions are made at the right level with the right information at the right time,” she explains. “That’s where leadership can remove roadblocks and keep execution on track.” Effective governance creates clear decision rights. Tactical execution decisions stay with project teams who understand day-to-day realities. Strategic decisions about scope, priorities, or resource allocation escalate to leaders with portfolio visibility. Regular checkpoints surface issues before they become crises.
People Drive Transformation, Not Tools
Enterprise project success hinges on change leadership, not change management. The distinction matters because enterprise projects rarely go according to plan. “Invest in change leadership, not just change management,” Stevenson advises. “Equip teams with the skills to navigate ambiguity, resolve conflict, and adapt quickly.” Change management focuses on communication plans and training schedules. Change leadership focuses on building the capability to navigate transformation as it unfolds. Teams equipped with change leadership skills adapt without waiting for formal plan updates. “Build cross-functional collaboration into your culture,” Stevenson notes. “When people feel empowered and connected, they deliver more than just project milestones. They deliver impact.”
Measuring What Actually Matters
Output metrics track project completion. Outcome metrics track business impact: revenue generated, costs reduced, customer satisfaction improved, and time to market accelerated. “Track outcomes, not just outputs,” Stevenson explains. “It’s not enough to finish on time and on budget if the project doesn’t move the needle. Define KPIs that reflect business value, whether that’s cost savings, speed to market, customer impact, or employee engagement, and be disciplined about course correcting based on what the data tells you.”
Most organizations track outputs obsessively while ignoring outcomes. They know precisely whether projects finished on schedule, but can’t articulate whether completed projects improved business performance. Outcome measurement requires defining success in business terms before projects start.
What customer behavior should change?
What operational efficiency should improve?
What revenue opportunity should open?
Course correction based on outcome data means adjusting or killing projects that aren’t delivering expected business value.
From Project Completion to Business Impact
After 25 years of leading transformations across industries, Stevenson has seen the pattern clearly. “Enterprise project management can and should be a driver of real transformation,” she concludes. “When anchored to strategy, powered by people, and led with discipline, it becomes a competitive advantage.” The question organizations must answer isn’t whether projects are getting done but whether they’re delivering real results. Projects will always get done. The real work is making sure they drive results.
Connect with Cindi Stevenson on LinkedIn for insights on enterprise project management and strategic transformation.
