How to Transform Project Sponsorship from Ho Hum to Heck Yeah!
For decades now both organizational change management and project management best practices have cited actively engaged project sponsorship as a top driver, if not THE top driver, of a project’s ability and likelihood to meet its objectives. So, it’s safe to assume that leaders at the helm of transformations are now adept at effectively guiding their organizations through change, right? Not so fast!
While most leaders DO understand their role as a sponsor – guide, champion, resolve issues, communicate, and link project to strategy and business – one of the biggest mistakes an organizational change management practitioner can make is assuming that these leaders know HOW to be active, engaged, and effective sponsors. In most cases, leaders are 100% at the ready to assume their sponsorship duties, but more often than not, simply do not know what to do, and need our help.
On a recent engagement, April Callis-Birchmeier, a change management consultant, author, and speaker, was growing increasing frustrated as her project sponsor was not as visible and active as she would have liked. She had been unable to establish a regular meeting schedule with the sponsor and the time that she did get was often unfocused and disorganized. Determined to achieve effective project sponsorship she developed a Project Sponsorship Brief and shared it with the leader to facilitate their weekly meetings.
The Weekly Project Sponsorship Brief was simple, yet focused, and armed the leader with the following information to position them for active and visible sponsorship.
Overarching key messages: In alignment with the overall project strategy, what key messages does the sponsor need to communicate and reinforce?
What to communicate: What meetings should the sponsor attend, who should they request to meet with, and what topics should they discuss?
What to keep an eye on: What activities should the sponsor monitor and are there risks that are in danger of escalating to issues?
Things to celebrate: What key accomplishments should the sponsor acknowledge and who should be recognized?
It’s easy to assume that because this person has risen to the ranks of leadership, that they are comfortable sponsoring change, but many leaders simply don’t know what to do. Organizational change management practitioners can step in and help by establishing a regular engagement cadence and leveraging easy, effective, and productive tools, such as the Weekly Project Brief, to transform leaders into true project sponsors. April’s leader now knew exactly where they needed to be, what they should be communicating, and with whom they should be engaging. While bungling in the beginning, April’s leader became a truly impressive sponsor by project’s end.
Frustrated by inactive sponsorship on your project? Up your leader’s game by simply helping them learn how to be a visible and effective sponsor. More often than not, leaders quickly embrace the guidance and are off and running – sponsoring your project to success!
Contact ChangeStaffing to learn how our organizational change management consultants can help your organization transform your leaders into sponsors.
A special thanks to April Callis-Birchmeier, organizational change management expert, speaker and author of bestselling book, READY, Set, Change!: Simplify and Accelerate Organizational Change, for her thought leadership and for collaborating with us on this blog.