97 Things Every Project Manager Should Know

Chapter 76. Project Sponsors—Good, Bad, and Ugly

PMP. Jorge Gelabert

EVERY PROJECT NEEDS A SPONSOR—usually the person who initiated the project and is responsible for providing the financial resources to successfully complete it. Typically, this is someone high in the organization who will champion the project and step in when the software project manager faces company challenges beyond his control. The larger the project, the greater the importance of a strong sponsor.

In my experience, sponsors come in three flavors: good, bad, and ugly. It is important to recognize each type and know how to deal with it.

The worst type of sponsorship is "ugly." These sponsors are usually assigned. Therefore, they have no personal investment in what the project is delivering or its intended use. Such a sponsor tends not to listen to the project manager and instead focuses on arbitrary due dates set by those who have assigned him/her to the project. Benign neglect is common. Assigned project sponsors may change frequently, so there is no continuity.

Spotting this type of sponsorship is easy; addressing the problem is not. The software project manager must work with the sponsor and respond to his/her desires. Often this is at odds with making the project successful. One answer can be to find a surrogate sponsor, a person or group who will benefit from the deliverables of the project and who may be able ...