A look at why project success depends as much on business acumen as on methodology.
Every year, billions are spent on projects that technically succeed but strategically fail. Schedules are met, deliverables are handed, but the business value just doesn’t deliver. And project professionals sit at the center of the problem.
Their role in strategy execution has never been more critical. However, many teams lack the necessary skills and training. According to PMI’s Pulse of the Profession 2025, only 18% of project professionals demonstrate high business acumen – the ability to align projects with strategy and business goals.
Wellingtone’s latest research adds that almost half of organizations remain unhappy with their project management maturity level, and poor training for project managers. In other words, the skills that are necessary in project management – communication, business alignment, and benefit management – are where teams are weakest.
More Scope but Less Support
Wellingtone’s data shows that 72% of project leaders expect their responsibilities to expand in the future – own more processes, manage larger project portfolios, and become more involved in benefit-related processes.
They are being asked to maintain creative and technical aspects as well as focus on consistency, profitability, and client demand – all under tight time pressure. But fewer than half expect to see additional help and even less report having the training in place to keep their teams up to speed.
This creates an environment where project managers are being asked to do more, with the same or fewer resources, while investment in skills is behind.
Both PMI and Wellingtone point to training as the weakest link. PMI’s survey of senior leaders revealed that 54% agree their teams need stronger business acumen. However, they continue to prioritize technical skills (64%) and power skills (61%) more.
On the other hand, companies invest almost twice as much time in technical skills (46% of training hours) as they do in business acumen (25%). This leaves project professionals with high knowledge about methodologies, but less confident when they need to align projects with business strategy or show value to executives.
Wellingtone’s findings add another layer to the top. Despite access to various qualifications, poorly trained project managers remain top challenges year after year. In other words, professionals are getting certified, but not necessarily in the skills their company needs most.
The Cost of Underinvestment
The cost of the skill shortage is visible in performance data as well. PMI’s 2025 research shows that organizations with professionals who demonstrate high business acumen:
- Meet business goals more often (83% vs. 78%)
- Deliver projects on budget and schedule at higher rates
- Fail less often (8% vs. 11%)
Meanwhile, Wellingtone reports that only 39% of companies deliver full project benefits, and just over half say they have a consistent record of project success.
However, without proper training in strategic skills, project professionals focus more on scope and schedule but struggle to deliver broader business value. In simple words, many projects are finished, but few of them meet business goals.
To illustrate this, a well-designed building misses its commercial targets, or an infrastructure project that meets engineering standards but doesn’t deliver intended community benefits.
But the skill gap isn’t only about training programs. When project leaders have a clear view of portfolios, dependencies, and workloads, teams can then evaluate risks and connect daily work to strategic outcomes. However, 14% of companies still rely on Microsoft Excel to plan their projects, while 11% have no project management solution at all.
So, it also comes down to companies using proper project management tools that help to build business acumen by showing the link between daily tasks and strategic impact.
Building Training into Daily Work
The good news is that the training doesn’t have to rely on lengthy courses. Many companies include learning into the flow of work. PMI’s research shows that project professionals with high business acumen actively pursue 30% more learning opportunities than their peers.
But the key here is relevance. Training has to be practical and tied to the challenges teams face. That’s where modern learning practices come in. And it’s probably not what you think of.
Training can start with the tools teams use. When a company sees portfolio planning, workload visibility, and task execution in one environment, they learn through doing. Teams see how dependencies impact delivery, how workloads shift with priorities, and how portfolio changes reach across the organization.
This is something we emphasize strongly at Teamhood – tools should support the best project management practices. For example, when professionals can see workload distribution, dependency risks, and portfolio view in real time, they are being trained in resource management, risk mitigation, and prioritization. So, the line between “working” and “learning” disappears.
The Bottom Line
Project management maturity used to mean process consistency. Today, it’s more about the ability for teams to learn, adjust, and realign.
The smartest companies are using data, tools, and portfolio visibility to manage work and at the same time to train their teams. Every dashboard, dependency map, or resource view becomes a feedback ground. And when that happens, learning becomes how the company operates.
