The Utility Factor: Measuring the True ROI of Your Project Management Career

I reflect every year on the value I bring to my work—not just for the company that pays me, but also for my profession and for the people around me.

This reflection helps me see if I’m really making a difference or just going through the workdays.

Over time, I’ve realized that looking only at my salary or job title doesn’t capture everything. Or sometimes anything.

Instead, I’ve started asking: What is my utility?

Of course, I am talking about utility from an economic perspective.

Utility is a fundamental concept in economics that represents the satisfaction or benefit a consumer derives from consuming a good or service.

It helps economists understand consumer behavior, particularly how individuals make choices based on their preferences and available resources.

Utility is subjective, meaning it varies from person to person depending on their tastes, needs, and circumstances.

Economists often measure utility in relative terms rather than absolute values, as it is difficult to quantify happiness or satisfaction precisely.

There are two main types of utility: total utility and marginal utility.

Total utility refers to the overall satisfaction a person gains from consuming a certain quantity of a product, while marginal utility is the additional satisfaction obtained from consuming one more unit of that product.

A key principle in economics is the law of diminishing marginal utility, which states that as a person consumes more of a good, the additional satisfaction they gain from each extra unit decreases.

This explains why people are willing to pay less for each additional unit of something they already have in abundance.

Imagine you walk into a café and buy a cup of coffee for $3. The utility you get from that coffee is the enjoyment, energy boost, and warmth it provides.

If you really needed that coffee to wake up and focus, the value it brings to you is high—you feel like it’s totally worth the $3.

But now, imagine you’re already on your third cup of the day. That extra coffee doesn’t feel as satisfying anymore. You might still drink it, but the benefit (or utility) you get from it is lower than the first cup.

This is how we perceive value—it’s not just about the thing itself but how much it benefits us at that moment. If you’re extremely tired, that coffee feels priceless.

If you’re already full of caffeine, it might not feel worth it at all.

This is why companies focus on making products and services that maximize utility—they want to make sure what they offer feels valuable to the customer, just like how that first morning coffee can feel like the best $3 ever spent!

So, in summary, utility refers to the satisfaction or benefit derived from a product or a service (in super-mega-hyper simple terms).

Recently, I started thinking about how this applies to project managers. This point becomes clearer if you look at data from the Project Management Institute (PMI). T

heir Salary Survey and Pulse of the Profession reports show that project management roles are growing because companies see how important PMs are for running complex projects.

Think about it: a well-managed project can save costs, open new opportunities, and even change the way a company operates.

When we reduce risks, align teams, and optimize workflows, we’re generating utility beyond just checking tasks off a list.

Every decision we make has an effect—whether it’s preventing wasted resources, facilitating collaboration between departments, or ensuring that leadership has the right data to make informed choices.

The real magic of a project manager isn’t in just keeping things under control, but in connecting the dots between people, technology, and strategy to create something that lasts and brings value.

Let’s look at monetary value first. A skilled project manager keeps projects on time and on budget. They also prevent something called “scope creep,” which happens when a project’s demands grow beyond the initial plan. Stopping that can save an organization thousands—or even millions—of dollars.

But there’s also non-monetary value: a PM can unite a team, handle risks before they become crises, and keep morale high. These things aren’t easy to measure in dollar terms, but they matter a lot.

I remember one project in particular. The budget was ballooning, deadlines were slipping, and the client was about to lose faith.

After some deep investigation and talks with the team, I found that continuing the project would waste over a million dollars.

My recommendation to cancel wasn’t popular at first—but it saved the company a ton of money and allowed people to focus on projects that actually had a chance of success.

That’s a clear example of utility: by making a tough call and communicating it well, a project manager can prevent a major failure and free up resources for better opportunities.

While some parts of a PM’s utility are obvious—like saving money—others can be overlooked. Keeping the team motivated, clarifying goals, or clearing roadblocks can be the difference between a stressful, late project and one that finishes smoothly and on time.

When managers and team members feel they can trust each other, problems get solved faster. That’s a real benefit, even if it’s not always measured in dollars.

A Quick Framework for Measuring Your Utility

If you’re a project manager (or aiming to become one), here’s a simple way to assess and track your utility:

Cost Savings & Budget Control
- Note any direct savings you helped achieve, such as reducing scope creep or renegotiating vendor rates.
- Keep a running list of budget variances (e.g., “We delivered under budget by 10%”).
Time Management & Speed to Market
- Measure whether projects hit deadlines or come in early.
- Track how often your scheduling or process improvements speed up delivery.
Risk Mitigation
- Record major risks you identified early and the actions you took to reduce them.
- Think in terms of “cost avoided” or “crisis avoided” (like saving a million dollars by canceling a failing project).
Team Morale & Satisfaction
- Gather informal or formal feedback from your team.
- Look at turnover rates or satisfaction surveys—do people feel more supported and less stressed?
Stakeholder Feedback & Communication
- Collect comments from sponsors or clients about the clarity of your communication.
- Note how quickly issues are escalated and resolved under your management.

You can share these insights in performance reviews, during team meetings, or in informal chats with leaders.

Many people might not realize the extra value you create until you explain it with simple facts and examples.

But here’s the part that really makes utility meaningful: not just what we deliver, but how we deliver it.

A great project manager creates an environment where people feel engaged, motivated, and empowered to do their best work.

The utility we bring to a company isn’t just measured in KPIs and financials; it’s also in the culture we build, the trust we foster, and the problems we solve before they even become issues.

That’s what makes our role so powerful—we’re not just managing projects; we’re creating value that keeps businesses moving forward.

For organizations, understanding a PM’s utility is key. If you only see a project manager as another expense, you might miss the huge benefits they bring—like preventing costly disasters, boosting team spirit, or improving quality.

Recognizing these benefits makes it easier to invest in skilled PMs and give them the authority to make a real difference.

In the end, focusing on utility helps project managers and their teams see the bigger picture.

The most important question is not ‘What does a PM cost?’ but ‘How much better off are we because we have one?’

When you measure it well, you’ll see that a great project manager often creates more value than they ever take home, and that’s a win for everyone involved.

If you lead a company or team, it’s important to see that the cost of hiring a PM is often outweighed by the benefits.

By giving PMs enough authority and respect, you can see even bigger returns—both in profits and in happier, more motivated employees. Recognizing PMs publicly when projects go well can also create a more positive culture.

One habit that has helped me is asking myself at the end of each project: What difference did I make, and how would things have turned out without my contribution?

Sometimes, it’s a financial impact; other times, it’s about a team that’s more united and less stressed.

Sometimes it’s something small, like a decision in a meeting. But sometimes it’s something big, like identifying a risk that would block the entire project for the company.

I have a dedicated “Work Highlights” notebook in Evernote—a personal goldmine where I capture the key moments that define my impact throughout the year.

Whether it’s for an end-of-year review, a performance discussion, or just a personal reflection, this note helps me track my contributions and showcase my value in a way that’s clear and compelling.

The beauty of this habit? Every win matters. Sometimes, it’s a small but strategic decision made in a meeting that steered a project in the right direction.

Other times, it’s a game-changing moment—like identifying a critical risk that could have derailed an entire initiative.

No contribution is too small or too big when it comes to shaping success, and having a system in place ensures that these moments don’t get lost in the daily grind.

By keeping this simple yet powerful habit, I make sure that when the time comes to reflect on my work, I have a clear, detailed, and impactful record of how I’ve driven results.

After all, success isn’t just about the projects we complete—it’s about the value we create along the way.

I believe that if we’re creating more than we consume, we’re making a positive difference.

I am incredibly grateful that you have taken the time to read this post.

Do you want to get new content in your Email?

Check my main categories of content below:

Navigate between the many topics covered in this website:

Check my most recent articles:

Support my work by sharing my content with your network using the sharing buttons below.

Want to show your support tangibly? A virtual coffee is a small but nice way to show your appreciation and give me the extra energy to keep crafting valuable content! Pay me a coffee, click here.