Sponsor

INTRODUCTION

Research shows that an active project sponsor is a critical success factor in achieving positive outcomes from projects. This appendix describes the actions and impacts of sponsors and how these factors contribute to the overall success of the project. 

THE SPONSOR ROLE

Depending on the organization, a project typically has a sponsor. The project sponsor provides decision leadership that is outside of the authority and position power of the project manager and project team. Active engagement and oversight by a project sponsor supports the project manager, the project team, and ultimately drives project outcomes. The sponsor also links the project team with the strategy and big picture view at the executive level of the organization.

Sponsors perform the following functions, among others : 

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Communicate the vision, goals, and expectations to the team. 

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Advocate for the project and the team. 

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Facilitate executive level decisions. 

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Help secure resources. 

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Keep projects aligned to business objectives. 

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Remove obstacles. 

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Address issues outside the project team’s authority. 

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Bring opportunities that arise within the project to senior management. 

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Monitor project outcomes after closure to ensure intended business benefits are realized.

The sponsor’s position within the organization and the perspective from that level enable the sponsor to provide key support to the team in the following areas :

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Vision. 

Establish and/or communicate the vision and direction for the project. 

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Business value. 

Work with the team consistently to maintain alignment with the  strategic and business objectives. When the market, competition, and strategy are volatile and evolving, this may require frequent interactions to adjust project work to meet the evolving direction. 

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Customer focus. 

Balance various stakeholder needs and priorities. When there are multiple stakeholders, especially stakeholders with conflicting needs, it may be necessary  to prioritize stakeholder needs and make trade offs. 

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Decisions. 

Make decisions or direct decisions to the appropriate individual or group when there are decisions to be made that are outside of the project team’s authority. If the team cannot come to a decision or if the team is in conflict, sponsors can mediate conflict and facilitate the decision making process. 

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Motivation. 

Sponsors serve as a source of motivation for the project team by actively engaging with and supporting them. 

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Accountability. 

Depending on the authority level of the role, sponsors are often accountable for the project outcomes. In this role, they may accept or reject the deliverables for the project.

LACK OF ENGAGEMENT 

When the sponsor is not engaged or when that role is vacant, many of the benefits associated with the activities are missing. This may have a negative impact on project effectiveness. Project performance suffers because there are often longer decision time frames and conflicting priorities. If the sponsor is not helping to secure resources, that gap can impact access to necessary team members or acquisition of physical resources. When there is no direct sponsor support, team members may be removed or switched out. These changes can cause negative impacts to scope, quality, schedule, and budget and diminish the probability of achieving intended outcomes and stakeholder satisfaction.

SPONSOR BEHAVIORS 

There are certain behaviors that sponsors display that can help teams perform effectively and thus improve project outcomes : 

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Resource. 

Liaise with the organization to ensure the team has the necessary skill sets  and the physical resources needed to deliver the project. 

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Guide. 

Provide a motivating vision around which the team can rally. 

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Align. 

Maintain alignment between the organization’s strategic goals and the project outcomes. If the market changes or the organization’s goals shift, work with the project team to pivot the direction of the project to meet the current needs. 

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Tailor. 

Work alongside the team to tailor the structure, culture, processes, roles, and work to optimize outcomes. 

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Influence. 

Enable the needed changes for adoption to the post-project operations.  This includes leadership, engagement, and collaboration with stakeholders throughout  the organization. 

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Communicate. 

Provide an ongoing exchange of information from the organization  to the team and from the team to the organization. 

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Partner. 

Partner with the team in achieving success. This can include coaching, mentoring, and demonstrating a personal commitment to the project goal. 

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Check. 

Engage with the team to stimulate critical thinking by asking questions, challenging assumptions, and fostering innovation. 

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Unblock. 

Remove impediments and barriers and resolve issues that are outside the team’s authority or ability to address.

CONCLUSION 

The strategic link that the sponsor provides both empowers and enables the project team  to optimize its performance by maintaining alignment with the organization’s strategy. The sponsor facilitates engagement and decision making and ensures that the skills and resources needed  are available. These activities and behaviors increase the likelihood of achieving the desired  project outcomes.