Successful Project Sponsorship: A Time-Saver for the Busy Executive

Michiel van der Molen

Sep 2015 · Kogan Page Publishers

About this ebook

Project success is a business management responsibility and project management is more than the work of a project manager: the project sponsor plays a key role, whatever their job title. As the owner of the business case, the project sponsor or project executive has the responsibility for communicating the aims of the project, staying in touch with the changing environment and ultimately using their leadership skills to realize the benefits that the project has set out to achieve. The project sponsor gives strategic direction to the project manager and empowers them to deliver the agreed result. However, as a busy business manager, balancing the role of project executive with other management responsibilities, the project sponsor wants more control for less effort. The four proven principles in Successful Project Sponsorship help them to achieve precisely that.

This book leads the reader to success through the powerful and proven four principles of successful project sponsorship. These principles are all focused on giving strategic direction to projects effectively and efficiently. Instead of going into depth on project management theory and methodologies, this book answers the practical questions project sponsors have to tackle and provides targeted solutions to real-life issues, such as: How do I create a successful strategy? How do I keep a project under control when the requirements are changing? What can I do to keep the project on budget? How do I recognize a good project manager - and how do I deal with an out-of-control one? The final part of the book gives tried-and-tested practical guidance on how to improve project sponsorship knowledge within your organization.

Written clearly and concisely for the busy executive, in line with the PMI's Lexicon of Project Management Terms and with special tips for Prince2 environments and agile projects, this highly practical guide is the essential toolkit all business managers need to make a success of their project sponsor role.

About the author

Michiel van der Molen, MSc, is a consultant and trainer in project governance, change management and benefits management. He has held the roles of project sponsor, project manager, management trainer and consultant, and has managed teams of project managers for many years. He has worked in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Tanzania. Currently co-owner of Molen & Molen, he helps organizations to achieve professional project governance. He has written several bestselling books for the Dutch market about project governance, business case management and benefits management.