Sean Whitaker’s Post

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View profile for Guy Thorpe

Helping Project Managers level-up ║ Your Partner in Progress ║Build PMOs with portfolios of $5m-$1b+

3 reasons why your Project Sponsor may be ghosting you …..👻   Figuring out “why” your Project Sponsor is not responding to your e-mails or calls, failing to front-up for scheduled project meetings, and generally ghosting you should be your number one priority 😱.   Here are 3 ghostly Sponsor types and what to do about them:   🎃 The Busy Sponsor Sponsoring your project doesn’t appear to be on their priority list. It’s not to say they don’t care about the project outcome, but they just don’t have the bandwidth to be present when required.  They infrequently attend project meetings and when they do, they are so far removed from what’s actually going on they provide little support. 👉 Solution: schedule a one-on-one meeting and gently lay out your expectations of the Project Sponsor role to them. Drop into the conversation that Sponsoring a project normally requires a commitment of approx. 15-20% of their week to actively support the project. Describe the impact it will have on the project if they continue to be absent 😈 The inexperienced sponsor: This poor soul has never worked with projects before, has had no coaching or training and is unaware of what the Project Sponsor role entails.   👉 Solution: If your sponsor is keen to learn, spend as much time as you can with them sharing your expectations of the Sponsor role. Ask what they expect to be doing as a Sponsor? Provide as much support as you can and help them develop in the role, you might be surprised! 💀 The Uninterested Sponsor : May have been delegated the role of Sponsor by someone else senior and they genuinely have no interest in the outcome. They defer decision-making to others and will look to distance themselves from the Sponsorship duties. 👉 Solution: Get to the bottom of why they are disinterested in the project. You may be able to show them why they “should” be and how it helps the organisation. If all else fails suggest another Key Stakeholder may be better placed to Sponsor the project.  #projectmanagement #sponsorship #pminstitute #pmo

Sean Whitaker

🌟The Practical Project Manager 🌟

Love this!! So accurate. Finding an engaged project sponsor can be difficult and it’s up to the project manager to actively engage them in a way that actually works for each person.

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