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Sponsors and owners digest
It’s commonly known that more projects fail than succeed. However, research shows that poor sponsor support can negatively influence project outcome. Actively engaged and effective sponsors are the top driver of project success.
It seems many senior managers and executives in organisations fail to see that project success starts and ends with them as members of a board effectively leading and sponsoring change. They need to have the necessary sphere of influence, the time available and the attributes to deliver a project/ change.
The sponsor of a programme or project is the one who needs to ensure a successful outcome and the benefits realisation, as is set out in the APM Body of Knowledge:
“Sponsorship of a project, programme or portfolio is an important senior management role. The sponsor is accountable for ensuring that the work is governed effectively and delivers the objectives that meet identified needs.”
Much of what is wrong in the sponsor-PM relationship is down to a lack of understanding of the sponsor role. It is therefore often up to the project managers to help develop effective sponsors.
1. Attributes of a good sponsor
APM’s publication ‘Building Sponsors’, discusses the opportunities sponsorship plays in determining project performance. The report is based on the 2018 Sponsors Summit which focused on real-world experiences from a wide range of sectors and lays out key themes that drew a broad consensus.
Debates on sponsorship start with an understanding of the level of sponsorship in question, with four core levels of sponsorship being identified. To find out more about these, and discover the key attributes and functions of a good sponsor, download and read the report.
2. Expectations of a project sponsor
What is the project sponsor accountable for?” I sum up in one sentence: “A project sponsor is accountable for the benefits realisation”.
The evidence points to a need to build capability and capacity in project sponsorship. But what does the statement “A project sponsor is accountable for the benefits realisation” actually entail? And “what is the best way to build sponsorship competence”? Embedding the role of a sponsor and building long-term capability and capacity through a more structured development programme is a good option. Read more about developing capacity and competence in a sponsor.
3. Engaging your sponsor
Conditions for project success include effective governance and capable sponsors. Out of the top 12 conditions necessary for project success, sponsorship plays a role in five. Active and engaged sponsors, and a culture of senior management involvement mean a higher percentage of project goals can be met. The sponsor role is pivotal and a key driver for project success, therefore, the need to educate sponsors is even more prevalent than ever before. For guidance on the sponsor role – why it’s needed and what a sponsor does - you can read APM’s publication “Sponsoring Change”, available in the APM bookshop. For further ideas on embracing and engaging with sponsors, read Martin Samphire’s blog.
4. Building a mutually beneficial partnership with your sponsor
It doesn’t matter how brilliant you are as a project or programme manager, if you don’t have a good sponsor, successful delivery is going to be a huge challenge. If you are lucky, you start with a good sponsor. Frequently, however, part of your role as a project leader is to train your sponsor for their role on your project.
A good sponsor also ‘gets’ the content of the project. They need to understand enough technical detail to be able to have informed discussions, and be committed to the project journey as defined by the plan and the project roadmap. Taking time to explore the ‘big why’ of a project with your sponsor can be both enlightening and efficient. Passionate project managers and sponsors make it easier to develop a motivated and productive team. Learn more about how to manage your sponsor here.
5. Help your sponsor become all they can be!
The knowledge, skills and behaviours of the (Senior Responsible Owner) SRO are critical to the success of any project. But how much does the SRO really know about what project managers actually do, and the support that they need, to ensure that the business benefits of the project will actually be delivered? Indeed, does the SRO really understand the full extent of their role in the typical modern project delivery scenario?
The high performing project manager (with high levels of stakeholder management skills and interpersonal ability) might decide to initiate helping the SRO to identify and address any gap that might exist between the SRO’s expectations for the behaviours of project staff, and the current reality. Learn how to do this through the SCARF behavioural model.
6. Dealing with the uninvolved sponsor
Q&A: My sponsor is far too busy with her day job to be actively engaged on the project. When she does give direction, she often changes her mind afterwards, which is disruptive. What can I do?
Research shows that fewer than two in three projects have sponsors who are actively engaged – so you are not alone. What you need to do is firstly define the sponsors role, and secondly, identify areas and types of engagement you require. Read more about the uninvolved/ difficult sponsor.