Fill the Vacuum It's an odd thing to note in 2018: At many organizations, there's a project leadership vacuum. I see this in many IT business units I encounter. There are plenty of projects in motion, of course. Many companies just choose not to view project management as a core competency that supports successful planning and delivery. Instead, internal engineering teams are responsible for executing their own projects. Although this can empower engineers, it also can lead to messes. I've seen these negative consequences in many circumstances: Undefined requirements Poor budgeting estimation Unclear project vision and goals Delivery delays due to competing company interests and priorities . Unfinished projects and programs Resource gaps (and resultant frustration) Silos across various divisions, departments and the overall business Step Right Up However, even organizations that do not value or invest in project management occasionally bring in project professionals to run special tecUology projects on programs critical to the business. And therein lies an opportunity to prove the power of project leadership. In these circumstances, a proactive project or program manager can align the initiatives' strategy with overall business goals and other projects in motion, and ensure its success. Here are three crucial steps project leaders should take to engage the business and bring strategy, alignment and process to organizations. Map the Landscape Go beyond the organizational chart by creating a diagram of major stakeholders and mapping them to the projects they support or manage. Consider the Big Picture Meet with individual stakeholders and map out the business's key tecUology initiatives in a three- to five-year time frame. Once dates for initiatives are established, link them to specific projects to understand how they support-or hinder-the organization. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate Once projects, priority initiatives and stakeholders have been identified and