How we can keep and show control of our own success

We showed the development manager, then the division manager, and then CEO of the holding, that we were in complete control of how we successfully managed our project, securing continued funding.

Quite some time ago, we had a TimeLine on the whiteboard, showing how the activities of the teams for software, firmware, electronic design, mechanical design, and coin-changer design came together at certain synchronizing points in time. The project manager (it was before Agile titles were given) wanted to put this drawing in the computer.
> I said: "Take a picture."
< He said: "No, it has to be a neat picture to show management at the top floor."
> I suggested: "Can't they come down to see the whiteboard, so that we don't waste time putting it in the computer?"
< He said: "No, I have to go up to them, and in a neat picture it looks nicer."
> I suggested: "Why don't you just call them to come down to your room?" and I put some chairs in front of the whiteboard.
He called, and within 5 minutes three managers were sitting in front of the whiteboard. We explained the TimeLine. Within another 5 minutes they left, saying: "Great. Now we know that you guys are in control of what you are doing. Continue the good work!"

Recently the company had been incorporated into a large industrial conglomerate, and we had to report to the division manager every month. As a project coach and QA person (you can come to us whenever you think it's useful to help us improving how we work - I had a nice budget!) I reported what went well and what didn't go so well. The first few meetings the division manager panicked, because so many things didn't go well. After the meetings, I took him apart to explain what we were doing. And that he shouldn't panic when reading about what didn't go so well, but rather continue reading what we were doing about it. After a few months, there were not many things to report, because everything was under control (by the team!). The panic was over.

This taught me to expect panic reactions at the management level when things don't go well immediately at the start, that we have to manage these reactions, showing what we are doing about it, and how this eventually solves the problems.

Sometime later, the CFO of the holding company, anxious whether his money would be well spent, sent an auditor to the project. After all, most projects spend more money than expected, to say it mildly.
The auditor's advice was clear: "This project has to be stopped immediately, and then be restructured with 'proper' project management methods", because his tick-boxes didn't understand the team's ways of working.
We were summoned to the board of the holding, where the CEO asked for our defense. This time, the Development Manager of the developing company (recently acquired by the holding) showed on a whiteboard a similar picture he had seen on our whiteboard, explaining why this was the right way to run the project. The division manager backed us, because he had learnt that the way we worked was very successful.
Result: the CFO was reprimanded for his cunning action, and the development manager was told: "Great. Continue the Good Work!"
The project got its next million to continue.

To management, discuss real time and real money. No jargon concepts that we may use for organizing our work ourselves as successfully as possible. Jargon: you lose. Real time/money: You talk business. If they really are interested in some jargon, they will ask, and you can answer.