How to spot a failing project?
- Andrew
- September 10, 2021
- 9:00 am
Introduction
An effective sponsor is critical to the successful delivery of a project. Many surveys cite ineffective sponsorship as one of the top causes of project failure. This blog explains the role of the project sponsor and explains steps on how to ensure your sponsor is effective.
Overview of Project Sponsor’s Role
The Sponsor is typically a senior executive who is accountable for the outcomes of the. He or she has the vision and the understanding of what success looks like in terms of a successful delivery of a project or programme.
The sponsor will often be the originator or approver of a project idea. They will be responsible for formulating the business case for the potential project or programme. The sponsor would typically lead the presentation of the business case to the governance committee that is in place to approve projects.
What is often not understood is the fact that the project sponsor is accountable for the expected outcomes and benefits of the project or programme. Some organisations reinforce this message by assuming the project will deliver its benefits and these assumptions are then used to amend the budget of the sponsor. For example, if a sponsor maintains that this new project will help reduce costs by £500k in the next financial year, the sponsor’s budget is reduced by this amount; this tends to focus the sponsor’s mind on a realistic business case. It also ensures that the sponsor is actively involved in the project.
Change Champion
Supporting the Project Manager
Unblocking Blockers!
During any project, hurdles and uncertainties will occur. Some of these obstacles may not be within the project manager’s ability to overcome. This may be due to a lack on seniority or lack of influence in another part of the organisation. For example, the project may encounter some barriers to change in a different department and the sponsor needs to get involved to overcome these barriers.
The project may require more resources to deliver the project’s outcomes. Unlocking blockers and allocating more resources are key parts of a sponsor’s role.
Summary of a Sponsor’s Accountabilities
There are a number of aspects to a sponsor’s role and we have summarised these below:
Role Specification
Description
- The sponsor is the person who has most to gain from the successful delivery of the project / programme.
Purpose
- To ensure that the programme or project delivers the expected outcomes.
- To own the overall business change resulting from the delivery of the project or programme
Overall Responsibilities
- To deliver the outcomes
- To influence
- To un-block blockers
Core Behaviours
- Strong Decision Maker
- Astute Politician
- Leadership Skills
- People Influencer
- Strong Inter-personal Skillss
Responsible for:
- Successful Delivery of the programme / project and the organisational change
- Managing the ongoing business case
- Ensuring outcomes of the project and programme are communicated
- Ensuring benefits and outcomes are delivered
- Confirming on-going viability of project or programme
- Chairing the Steering Group
- Actively manage the benefits delivery
- Support the project / programme manager
Experience / Core Competencies
- A senior Director preferably at C- Level
- Knowledge of risk management
- Knowledge of financial control
- Understanding of organisation governance structures
- Understanding of business change management
Sponsor Problems!
In our experience the biggest problem with a sponsor is the fact that the sponsor may not understand his or her role as a sponsor. This is often the case when it is the first time that this individual is performing the sponsor’s role.
This can lead to the situation of an ineffective or absent sponsor with corresponding risks to the successful delivery of the project or programme.
Many organisations have no training for new sponsors. As the sponsor is a senior individual, it is assumed that the sponsor knows what he or she should be doing as regards sponsorship. However, managing an operational department is very different from sponsoring a project or programme.
If a project or programme manager is in the position where the sponsor is new, then the project / programme manager should run an awareness or training session to explain the role of the sponsor and what is expected.
Conclusion
Our PPM Tool, PM3
Our PPM tool, PM3, provides the visibility for sponsors to see in real time the progress of the project or programme.
For more information on this simple but scaleable PPM tool, please contact us at enquiries@projectbureau.com.au or book a live demo with us at www.projectbureau.com.au/pm3.
Who is Andrew Fox?
Andrew is the founder and managing director of The Project Bureau and has successfully delivered some major projects and programmes for many organisations for more than a decade. He holds a masters degree in project management, a chartered project professional, a certified practicing project director, a Praxis, MSP, Prince2 & PMBoK certified practitioner as well a registered project manager.
He is also a project management assessor and lectures in project management at the Australian National University on the Masters of Project Management (MPM) degree.
Who is Andrew Fox?
Andrew is the founder and managing director of The Project Bureau and has successfully delivered some major projects and programmes for many organisations for more than a decade. He holds a masters degree in project management, a chartered project professional, a certified practicing project director, a Praxis, MSP, Prince2 & PMBoK certified practitioner as well a registered project manager.
He is also a project management assessor and lectures in project management at the Australian National University on the Masters of Project Management (MPM) degree.