Sponsorship

or…

Applied Leadership

Peter Johnson

Promote the inclusion of people

aspects of project management

Research and promote tools and

techniques

Provide support for project leaders

and teams

Provide support for performance

improvement

Our primary objectives

Building our reputation as a centre of excellence for people aspects of P3

delivery

Communications & publications using appropriate media including:

o Contributing to the APM BoK

o SIG-specific guides (print & media)

o Social media

Engaging with other SIGs & branches, the wider PM community and other

‘like-minded’ bodies and organisations outside the APM

Presentations & workshops

Proposing, conducting and encouraging research into people aspects of

projects

delivered through…

It’s not an

Armchair role…

Objectives

“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you

can do for your country…”

Inaugural Address by John F.

Kennedy - January 20th 1961

Ask what your Sponsor can do

for You, AND ask what You can

do for your Sponsor.

APM People SIG - 2015

APM’s Vision

… for the profession is ambitious, challenging and

radical. Above all, it reflects what society expects:

– A world in which all projects succeed

Sources

Sponsorship

APM

BoK6;

APM Competence Framework

APM

‘Sponsoring Change’

‘Directing Change’

‘Co-Directing Change’

Methods

• PRINCE2®

• MSP®

Consensus!

Sponsorship – and Success

The Sponsor (aka the SRO)…

.. Is an important senior management role …

accountable for ensuring the work is governed

effectively and delivers the objectives that meet

identified needs

So…

To what extent does sponsorship promote success?

Who owns the project?

We will see… Scope…

APM BoK6 2012

Common Causes of PPM Failure

1. Lack of links between project and the organisation's key strategic priorities…

2. Lack of clear senior management and Ministerial ownership and leadership.

3. Lack of effective engagement with stakeholders.

4. Lack of skills and proven approach to project management and risk management.

5. Too little attention to breaking development/implementation into manageable steps.

6. Evaluation of proposals driven by initial price rather than long-term value for money

7. Lack of understanding of, and contact with the supply industry at senior levels

8. Lack of effective project team integration between clients and the supply chain.

TASK 1

NAO/OGC/Cabinet Office (2003/4)

Competence Areas

1) Ethics, Compliance and Professionalism

2) Ethics: Team Management

3) Conflict Management

4) Leadership

5) Procurement

6) Contract Management

7) Requirements Management

8) Solutions Development

9) Schedule Management

10) Resource Management

11) Budgeting and Cost Control

12) Risk and Issue Management

13) Quality Management

14) Consolidated Planning

15) Transition Management

16) Financial Management

17) Resource Capacity Planning

18) Governance Arrangements

19) Stakeholder and Comms Management

20) Frameworks and Methodologies

21) Reviews

22) Change Control

23) Independent Assurance

24) Business Case

25) Asset Allocation

26) Capability Development

27) Benefits Management Competence Framework

APM 2015

TASK 2

Competence (Personal) PPM Maturity

Application & Knowledge (Organisational)

0. Incomplete

1. Aware 1. Managed

2. Practised 2. Performed

3. Competent 3. Defined

4. Proficient 4. Quantitatively Defined

5. Expert 5. Optimised

What happens if

the Organisation, Sponsor and Project Manager

are ‘out of synchronisation’?

PRINCE2® and MSP® Principles P1Continued business justification

P2 Defined & agreed roles & responsibilities

P3 Focus on products

P4 Manage by stages

P5 Manage by exception

P6 Tailor to the project environment

P7 Learn from experience

12 Based on Axelos Ltd PRINCE2®,MSP®and MoP® material.

Reproduced under Licence from the Axelos Ltd.

M1Remaining aligned with corporate strategy

M2 Leading change

M3 Envisioning & communicating a better future

M4 Focusing on benefits and threats to them

M5 Adding value

M6 Designing & delivering a coherent capability

M7 Learning from experience

TASK 3 TASK 4

Sponsoring Change:

Sponsor’s Critical Success ‘Attributes’

Organisations

Organisational Support

Continuity in the Life Cycle…

Alignment with Organisational

Interests

Personal

Role Understanding

Competence

Stakeholder Credibility

Role Commitment

Engagement and Influence

Sponsoring Change

APM Governance SIG 2009

Governance: Principles

Management Board Responsibility

Project / BaU Differentiation

Defined Governance Roles

Governance: Culture; Methods;

Resources; Controls – Full

Sponsorship

Strategic Alignment including

Ethics and Sustainability

Authorisation Points: Business

Case and Risk-based

Delegated Competent

Authorisations

Evidence-based Business Cases

Appropriate independent Scrutiny

Defined Reports and Escalations

Culture:

Improvement/Transparency

Stakeholder Engagement - Trust

Non-Strategic Closure

Directing Change

APM Governance SIG 2012

+ Checklists:

Portfolio Direction; Sponsorship;

PM Capability; Disclosure

Sponsorship

Continuous sponsors?

Is sponsor’s time sufficient?

Sponsor’s accountability?

Sponsor/PM engagement?

Clear, timely decisions?

Influence: capability and

capacity?

Tested ‘Handover’ ?

Independent appraisal?

Business case accountability?

Benefits accountability?

Championship in the wider

organisation?

Success aligned with key

stakeholders’ expectations?

Learning from experience? Directing Change

APM Governance SIG 2012

What the Sponsor Does for the Organisation

Leads on culture and values

‘Owns’ the Business Case

Maintains strategic fit

Governs project risk

Liaises with other sponsors

Focuses on (outcomes and) benefits

Looks for optimising benefits v costs

Provides sponsorship continuity

Provides assurance and feedback

Sponsoring Change

APM Governance SIG 2009

What the Sponsor Does for the PM

Makes timely decisions

Clarifies delegations and tolerances

Clarifies business context

Communicates business issues

Provides resources

Engenders trust

Manages relationships

‘Supports’ the PM

Promotes ethical working

Sponsoring Change

APM Governance SIG 2009

What the Sponsor Does for Stakeholders

Engages key stakeholders

Governs the communications process

Directs relationships with clients

Ensures user representation

Ensures supplier representation

Arbitrates stakeholder disputes

Sponsoring Change

APM Governance SIG 2009

The Sponsor is not alone…

Project

– Sponsor (aka Project Executive): an individual, supported by

a Steering Group/Project Board

– Programme manager may be a project sponsor

– The PM escalates issues to the sponsor

– ‘functional’ resources problems - escalated to the sponsor

Programme

– The sponsor (aka SRO) is supported by a sponsoring group

– The sponsor chairs the Programme Board

And a portfolio/investment board?

Leadership

Leaders must NOT be shrinking violets!

Further Reading

Sponsoring Change: A guide to the governance aspects of project

sponsorship

APM Governance of Project Management SIG

Directing Change: A guide to governance of project management

APM Governance of Project Management SIG

Co-directing Change: A guide to the governance of multi-owned

projects

APM Governance of Project Management SIG

Sponsorship…

It’s about:

– linking PPM levels and THE business

– recognising sponsorship at each level

– Governance; Environment; Delegation; Leadership;

Business Case; Organisation, Roles, Competencies

and Relationships; Change Control; Funding – and

more

– processes

It’s about ultimate accountability!

It’s Action-Centred!

Being

Accountable

Governing

Adapting

Delegating Leading

Owning

Defining

Deciding Securing

Authorising

Inspiring

Consulting Guiding

…more…

Sponsoring

17 March in Coventry

'APM Presents...Project Management in Practice' whwrw

all SIG's share presenting 1 hour slots

• https://www.apm.org.uk/event/apm-presents-

project-management-practice

8 June in London

People SIG day conference

'People and...' Currently we have 3 streams

intended on Change, Career Development and

Projects.

Upcoming Events

Join us at the People SIG

peoplesig@apm.org.uk

Leadership

Teamwork

Sponsorship

Collaboration

Communication

Potential Sponsorship

Research….

1. Survey Sponsors

2. Survey Corporates

3. Commission MSc

Research…

Sponsorship: Next Steps?

Nature or Nurture?

Innate or Trained?

Coached, Mentored or Trained?

Assessed and Appointed or Assumed and Appointed?

Route via Project or via General Management?

Same or Different Competencies from General Management?

Good and Bad Sponsorship: (Evidence/Opinion)?

Sponsor Career Paths: via PM or Management?

CF Topics PM vs Sponsor