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  • Chapters
    • Introduction
    • The Stages of a Project
    • Chapter 1. Sponsorship and Leadership
    • Chapter 2. Defining the Objectives and Benefits
    • Chapter 3. Planning the Project
    • Chapter 4. Ensuring the Project is a Manageable Size
    • Chapter 5. Defining the Budget
    • Chapter 6. Managing the Risks
    • Chapter 7. Getting the Right Project Manager
    • Chapter 8. Getting Customer Representation
    • Chapter 9. Defining Roles & Responsibilities
    • Chapter 10. Getting the Right Resources
    • Chapter 11. Monitoring and Reporting Progress
    • Chapter 12. Communicating Progress
    • Chapter 13. Consultation and Leadership
    • Chapter 14. Getting Realistic User Requirements
    • Chapter 15. Defining Your Approach
    • Chapter 16. Conducting Structured Testing
    • Chapter 17. Creating an Implementation Plan
    • Chapter 18. Conducting a Post Implementation Review
    • Chapter 19. Realising the Benefits
    • Chapter 20. Learning the Lessons
    • Chapter 21. Celebrating Success
    • Checklist
  • About Us
  • FAQ
  • 21 Ways to Excel at Project Management

Sponsorship & Leadership

Question 1: Do you have adequate business sponsorship and leadership?

Good Practice: A senior business sponsor should be identified at the highest possible level in the organisation and named in the project definition document.

A steering committee must be set up and operational from the project's beginning. The steering committee is responsible for taking all critical decisions about the project and should be composed of senior managers from the business.

The chair of the steering committee has ultimate responsibility for the project. The project manager leads and is fully accountable for delivering the project described in the project definition document.

A leader addressing a group of colleagues in a modern office setting

In his article Six Ways to Give Proper Project Leadership Dr Keith Mathis offers this advice:

  • Create an atmosphere of trust.
  • Build the right team.
  • Spell everything out for your team upfront.
  • Monitor and give feedback.
  • Keep communication open.
  • Keep the end goal clearly in mind.

The project sponsor is perhaps the second most influential person on the project, after the project manager and in some cases may even wield more influence on project results.

Dave Nielsen

Common Mistakes

  • Wasting time and money on projects that do not have enough sponsorship, commitment or leadership to succeed.
  • Hoping that people who do not commit early will find time later.
  • Not involving the sponsor with setting direction and keeping the project on track.

Note: Before starting your project, find a committed project sponsor with enough clout in your organisation. Your project sponsor will prove invaluable in helping you overcome organisational roadblocks as they arise.

A project without a senior business sponsor is at serious risk of failure.

Sponsorship and Leadership

Question 1: Do you have adequate business sponsorship and leadership?

2
Defining the Objectives and Benefits

Question 2: Have you defined and understood the business objectives and benefits?

3
Planning the Project

Question 3: Have you developed a detailed project plan?

4
Ensuring the Project is a Manageable Size

Question 4: Is your project a manageable size?

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