(Working with Executives): Do executives support the Portfolio Management practice or do they see it as an inconvenience given that some of the responsibilities may sit intuitively with the C-suite or Strategy Office?
Synthesized by ChatGPT then edited and enhanced by Te Wu.
Specific contributors include:
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- Cédric Kahl
- Cristina Niculescu
- David Vincenti
- Kris Sprague
- Todd Generotzke
- Anonymous
Portfolio management thrives not merely through structure, but through executive behavior and sustained commitment. Many organizations falter when senior leaders establish Portfolio Management (PfM) frameworks without adjusting their actions to empower these systems or abandoning it after a short duration. This disconnect often arises from a legacy of functional leadership—where executives ascend based on domain expertise rather than experience in project or portfolio management. Those who excel in leadership roles should recognize this gap and proactively collaborate with PMOs and delivery teams to bridge it.
For portfolio management to gain and retain executive endorsement, it must be positioned not as a bureaucratic hurdle but as a strategic enabler. Forward-thinking leaders value real-time intelligence—data “from the battlefield”—to inform decisions that impact customer experience, drive revenue, or improve operational efficiency. Dashboards that reflect accurate, actionable data and align with strategic priorities can catalyze support at the top.
Still, acceptance of PfM varies across organizational maturity. In established firms, especially those with mature PMOs, PfM is more readily embraced. Startups or firms in rapid transformation often resist, fearing it may dampen innovation or delay decision-making. Overcoming this perception requires reframing: portfolio management must be communicated as a driver of agility and clarity—not control.
Crucially, high-performing organizations recognize that PfM is not an added layer of control but a vital integrator. It connects strategic intent with execution, ensuring that organizational investments are not only aligned with enterprise goals but also deliver measurable value. While the C-suite defines strategic direction, it is through robust portfolio governance that those ambitions are transformed into prioritized, executable projects.
To truly embed portfolio management in the executive agenda, organizations may benefit from establishing a Chief Project Officer role with equivalent authority to traditional C-suite positions such as CFO or CMO. This structural recognition affirms that execution excellence is as critical as financial stewardship or market growth.
Ultimately, when executives view portfolio management as a strategic partner—one that enables smarter, faster, and more transparent decision-making—they transform it from a perceived constraint into a competitive advantage.
Contribution by: Cédric Kahl
Executives should actively support the portfolio management function, as it plays a critical role in integrating the key business planning cycles (strategic, portfolio, and financial). A mature portfolio management practice does not replace the C-suite or Strategy Office; rather, it enables their vision by turning strategic intent into operational reality (together with the portfolio governance team).
While the executive team (C-suite or Strategy Office) defines where the organization is heading and why – through a clear mission, strategic goals (what we aim to achieve), and strategies (how we intend to achieve them) – the portfolio manager provides the structure and discipline needed to translate those choices into a prioritized set of projects.
Portfolio management serves as a critical bridge between strategy and execution, enabling more informed, aligned, and value-driven investment decisions.
Contribution by: Cristina Niculescu
From my experience executives like to have data “from the battlefield”, and they want to learn what is happening, what improvements we can bring to our customers which bring new revenue, or what operational improvements we can do to increase the profitability. So, yes, I consider they support the Portfolio Management practice because of this real feeling from the battle, so they can be good sponsors for us
Contribution by: David Vincenti
This depends on the executive! Mostly, issues arrive when executives create a PFM structure but do not change their behaviors to empower it. As always, the primary issue is that executives have risen to their ranks through functional strengths, and few have working knowledge of PM or PfM; good execs will see this and work with teams and PMOs. Some may create conflicts through failure to delegate than blame the PM organization. One exec must own executional responsibility for the PfM/PM function with an equal vote in the C-Suite (eg, a Chief Project Officer equal in authority to the CFO or CMO.
Contribution by: Kris Sprague
Some executives see portfolio management as an inconvenience because they perceive it as an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy or duplication of their responsibilities.
However, high-performing organizations support the portfolio management practice because of the benefits (e.g., strategic alignment, resource optimization, and decision-making) that it provides.
Contribution by: Todd Generotzke
For me this topic has been tense and has varied in overall acceptance throughout my career. Larger and more mature PM organizations have embraced Portfolio management in the C-suite but often companies in a start-up/rapid growth/transformation tend to resist.
The challenge to me is in the presentation and positioning of the portfolio. Executives do not want the process to appear as bureaucratic or slowing down innovation or decision-making. The approach I take to resolve this has been to position portfolio management as a strategic accelerator and not a controlling mechanism. Providing dashboards that the C-suite trusts and are based on solid fact-based data are a way to gain and sustain executive support for Portfolio management.
Contribution by: Anonymous
Yes, executives need to see the value created through portfolio management. Prove the highest value work was funded and what results were for the organization. Consider presenting different portfolio scenarios with higher or lower funding.