- HOW IT HAPPENS
- WARNING SIGNS
- TURNING THINGS AROUND
- TAKE AWAYS
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
WARNING SIGNS
You don't have an identified project sponsor
If you're running a project and don't have someone at an appropriate level in the organization sponsoring the work, then you most likely don't have a viable, sanctioned project, and it's just a matter of time before the project meets an abrupt end. Someone at an appropriate level in the company needs to care enough about the work that you're doing to sponsor it. If not, then you're better off stopping the work yourself before someone stops it for you.
You can't get the project sponsor's attention
Cancelled meetings, unresponsive emails, and unreturned calls are all signs that your project sponsor isn't engaged, doesn't care, is the wrong person, or has more important things to do. Regardless of the reason, if your sponsor won't give you the time of day then you're unlikely to get the support for your project when you really need it.
Your project sponsor doesn't help you with management issues
Your project sponsor has a responsibility to the project to provide guidance on key issues that materially impact the resulting work product. When armed with the right decision factors, a good project sponsor provides direction on key issues in a timely manner and keeps the project moving forward. I've seen some project sponsors, though, that are either unwilling or unable to provide direction on key issues which can ultimately stall out a project. Having an unwilling or indecisive project sponsor is a pretty clear signal that you've got the wrong sponsorship for the project.