Presentation given to SWWE on 19th January 2016

1. Sponsorship
or…
Applied Leadership
Peter Johnson

2.  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

3.  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…

4. It’s not an
Armchair role…

5. 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

6. 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

7. Sources
Sponsorship
APM
BoK6;
APM
Competence
Framework
APM
‘Sponsoring Change’
‘Directing Change’
‘Co-Directing Change’
Methods
• PRINCE2®
• MSP®
Consensus!

8. 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

9. 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)

10. 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 ManagementCompetence Framework
APM 2015
TASK 2

11. 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’?

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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?

20. Leadership
 Leaders must NOT be shrinking violets!

21. 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

22. 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!

23. It’s Action-Centred!
Being
Accountable
Governing
Adapting
Delegating Leading
Owning
Defining
Deciding Securing
Authorising
Inspiring
Consulting Guiding
…more…
Sponsoring

24. 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

26. Potential Sponsorship
Research….
1. Survey Sponsors
2. Survey Corporates
3. Commission MSc
Research…

27. 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