Project Sponsors Make or Break Your Project

Hey there, and welcome to the Minimum Viable Project.

A new week, with over 600 new subscribers!

Every Tuesday, we break down an actionable idea from the intersection of project management & leadership.

The goal?

Help you manage work and lead people.

Not subscribed yet? Don't miss out and join 7,641 project leaders today!

This is the last "Minimum Viable Project" you'll get.

Nope, I'm not throwing in the towel - don't panic.

In fact, I'm doubling down.

The Minimum Viable Project was exactly what the name implies - an MVP. A way for me to start shipping and learning.

A way to make sure perfect didn't get in the way of done.

Now that we're 4 months in, I've learned loads from talking to many of you. If you're one of over 200 readers who have replied with ideas, questions, or feedback: thanks! I write this for you, and your input is invaluable.

That's why I'm working on a full rebrand. We're continuing on project leadership, with a fresh look and a fresh name. I gave a sneak peek in this post earlier this week.

Stay tuned!

Every project deserves a cheerleader

Instead, many of you have told me how your project sponsor can be the hardest stakeholder to manage.

Changing priorities, not enough time, or a stronger opinion than the subject understanding justifies, just to name a few.

The effect? According to the Project Management Institute, inadequate sponsor support is a primary reason for project failure in a whopping 26% of projects. (Source)

Today is all about the project sponsor.

What can you expect? And how do you manage up, so that the sponsor, your team, and you succeed?

Let me show you how:

What is a project sponsor?

A project sponsor is overall responsible for the success of your project. They are typically an executive that's responsible for the part of the business where your project sits.

They own a project and delegate the execution of it to you as project manager. They are the ones who set up a project initiation document, provide resources, help you manage stakeholders, and ensure the overall successful delivery.

As you can see, it's crucial to have a good sponsor on your side.

Their duties roughly fall into the following 5 categories:

1. Vision

2. Resources

3. Governance

4. Accountability

5. Priorities & decisions

Let's look at these 5 categories in each of the 5 main project phases.

Initiation

During the initiation, the sponsor sets the course for the project by defining a clear why (here's how you do that!). What is the benefit we're aiming for (more on defining benefits in this post), and what does success look like? How does it fit into the overall organizational strategy?

They provide rough boundaries like a budget and a deadline and appoint key resources like you as project manager. They are responsible for the project initiation document (PID) and help you set up the governance structure with your stakeholders.

Planning

The sponsor continues to provide the big-picture information as you translate the PID into a detailed plan. As you assemble a team, the sponsor is invaluable in making key people available and getting you the necessary budget.

As you set up your team and governance structure, the sponsor helps you assemble a steering committee and sets you up for success with key stakeholders.

Once a draft of the plan is made, the sponsor and newly assembled steerco help you make tough decisions to ensure your plan is feasible. Will you cut a benefit, spend more money, or use longer to complete the project? The sponsor is ultimately responsible for a realistic project plan.

Execution

During the execution, the sponsor's role shifts to more of a supporting one. Remember my earlier cheerleader remark?

Great leaders set direction and get out of the way. They're there to shoulder adversity, ringfence your team, provide resources, facilitate tough decisions, and celebrate your team's success.

Yes, I'll put that on coffee mugs one day, to gift to your sponsor.

As the project progresses, you'll hit roadblocks. This is where the relationship with your sponsor comes in. Use your sponsor to influence stakeholders, take action to mitigate risk, and keep track of the bigger picture. 

Monitoring & Controlling

As your project progresses, you'll be reporting progress to your steering committee. If you need to take corrective action, your sponsor is your first line of support. Never surprise your sponsor in public though - they are your supporter and should know what's coming.

Closure

We've all been there. The main deliverables are done, and everyone runs.

This is where a sponsor should step in and use the overall company perspective. Properly finish all deliverables, document processes, free up resources, and log your lessons learned. This is still a criminally undervalued step, and your sponsor should make sure your organization learns from the project.

Last but not least, your sponsor should be there to celebrate your team's success and recognize the hard work done. The easiest and most impactful thing they'll do in the entire project!

Manage your relationship

I know, this sounds like a lot. And in practice, a project sponsor may dump an idea or client on your desk and ask you to "fix it". Many of the responsibilities listed above are delegated to you, or skipped over, for the sake of time.

To make sure that everyone succeeds, you need to own this relationship from day one.

Here are 5 tips on how you can do that:

Align incentives

Your sponsor has 100s of things going on. Your project might be full-time for you, but not for them. Despite that, your project is an important piece of their overall agenda, and they need you to succeed to meet their goals.

Discuss from day one how you can help them succeed. If you identify and show how helping you can benefit them, you've won an important first battle.

Manage expectations

Establish as soon as possible what you expect from your sponsor, and what they can expect from you. Use your experience, and use the document above. If you want to give them some extra context, this Harvard Business Review article explains how to be an effective sponsor.

Make a communication plan

Once you've aligned the project with their goals and set clear mutual expectations, you need to deliver. A sponsor is a key stakeholder, so they deserve a custom communication approach. We've covered how you make that in detail in this post.

In short: ask them what they prefer. A quick text? A weekly call? Email? Check with colleagues who work with your sponsor often what works and what doesn't.

Your best bet is to communicate a little too much in the beginning, and then slowly find your sweet spot. Make sure to never come in with just a problem. A sponsor expects you to do the homework:

• Bring facts, not feelings

• Know your alternatives

• Show consequences

• Give a suggestion

That does not mean you can't discuss a gut feeling or think out loud, but always be prepared. Develop trust in the relationship, and explore how you best work together.

Be upfront & transparent

I might not be the Warren Buffett of Project leadership, but our fundamental rules are very similar.

Rule number 1: Never surprise your sponsorRule number 2: Never forget rule nr 1

Don't think that you'll solve something quickly and won't need to tell them. Be upfront and transparent about what's going on in the project. Use what you've established earlier, along with your communication plan: how much does your sponsor want to know?

Schedule regular 1:1s

Regular 1:1 meetings help you maintain a healthy relationship. They can last as little as 5 minutes, but they offer both of you a moment to reflect. Have a quick word about the project, and don't be afraid to address any of the above - your sponsor deserves feedback just as much as you do.

Just like in your project, address issues before they become a big problem.

Putting it all together

The relationship between you and your sponsor is all about expectations. Be intentional about it, manage it, and lead them. Show your competence and confidence, and make them succeed. That's the fastest way to boost your project and your own career.

Be intentional about the relationship with your sponsor:

1. Align incentives

2. Set expectations

3. Communicate deliberately

4. Be upfront and transparent

5. 1:1s to maintain the relationship

Don't be afraid to share this newsletter with your sponsor. Use it in your conversation about expectations. And most of all: take the lead.

Yes, they might be an executive, but if you show them that you're in control, they'll happily support you.

That'll do for this week - until next Tuesday!

Cheers,Jasper