The most important role on a large transformation project is the project sponsor.
Not the project manager.
According to the Project Management Institute (PMI)'s 2018 Pulse of the Profession In-Depth Report, "1 in 4 organisations (26%) report that the primary cause of failed projects is inadequate sponsor support".
By contrast, "organisations with a higher percentage of projects that include actively engaged executive sponsors, report 40% more successful projects than those with a lower percentage of projects with actively engaged sponsors".
And according to the 2015 Annual Review of Projects of the UKs National Audit Office “the effectiveness of the project sponsor is the best single predictor of project success or failure”.
Project sponsors on large and complex multi million dollar transformation projects are often senior executives and most are not trained in any way to be successful in their executive sponsor role.
Nor do they take the time that is needed to execute this role.
Often the same is the case for the project steering committee members.
Guess what happens with these projects?
Posted on Monday, July 22, 2024 by Henrico Dolfing