COMMUNICATING WITH DIFFICULT SPONSORS
Sponsor and Stakeholder Management is a challenging, if not frustrating, part of Project Management. Many new and eager Project Mangers have encountered a sponsor or major stakeholder who is technically challenged, a control freak, unprofessional in nature and is, basically, not a team player. How does a Project Manager deal with these obstacles in his/her quest to complete the assigned project successfully? Communication! Communication! Communication! Communication is one of the major components of a successful project. Enhancing your team’s communication style will enhance your Project Management experience and it will add to the project success.
UNPROFESSIONAL IN NATUREI am reminded of my first large project. It consisted of a 55-member team including Executive Vice Presidents (VPs) and Directors. From the very beginning, job titles and high level positions were obstacles to overcome. Executives and VPs often would not frequent team meetings because they did not want to be accountable to someone of a lower position or because of other pressing matters. One way around the obstacle of organizational hierarchy was to divide the larger team into functional groups and request that each group be headed by their VP or Director. This course of action proved to be beneficial in several ways. By doing this, each head controlled his/her committed resources while retaining a stated position of leadership within the Project team. Heading a sub-team made the VP or Director accountable for the completion of various team tasks. And in some instances, Team Captain was appointed to act in his/her stead inadvertently removing job title and position. The captain would then ensure completion of tasks and compliance with the proposed Project Methodology. On the other hand, at times I would be required to subrogate my Project Manager Leader position by meeting in the offices of the VP or Director where the position of power remained with them. What was important in these instances is that the lines of communication remained open and the project, for the most part, moved along smoothly.
Moral: If position within the organization is an issue, enhance the Project Team’s position by providing the VP or Director with an additional project title of importance. Be prepared to acquire needed information by any means necessary (within reason), even to point of being one of the VPs and/or Director’s temporary and accountable employees.
TECHNICALLY CHALLENGEDIt’s probably no surprise to an experienced PM that Sponsors and Stakeholders are often technically-challenged. This is usually a known fact to all the sponsor’s employees but not to the sponsor. It is important in this instance to save face and provide the Sponsor access to needed information in a non-technical format. One method to accomplish this is to attempt communication using diagrams: substituted words for high level techno speak. Additionally, using laymen’s terms in all correspondence and status reports increases clarity and understanding of technical issues. Alternatively, you might seek out an advocate the sponsor trust, whom has an understanding of the technical issues and how those issues will affect the project negatively and/or positively. This advocate will be your ears and eyes regarding the sponsor’s limitations and expectations as you move forward with the project. This will provide you with tremendous insight into how to proceed with communication methodologies.
Moral: For technically-challenged sponsors, enlist the assistance of someone they trust who has technical knowledge. Utilize other forms of communication such as scheduling calendars, WBS structure diagrams, Gantt charts, specification diagrams and configurations and other forms of visual media.
CONTROL FREAKSWhat if the sponsor is a “Control Freak” and refuses to allow you (the assigned PM) the opportunity to do your job? Wait a minute! . Sometimes there is no diplomacy that can be used, or all diplomacy has been used up. You have tried the communication plan, the roles and responsibility matrix, and the visual diagrams. Even still, the sponsor won’t hold fast to their tasks, making it harder for you to complete your. The Sponsor has taken on the role of both Sponsor and Project Manager. At this point, you should throw up your hands and just let them have it…the project, that is. There is something you can do… just acknowledge the Sponsor’s “Superman Ego” and inability to let go.
Moral: Build integrity with the sponsor by listening intensely and seeking to understand the issue around the Sponsor’s discomfort. Develop methodologies that will increase the Sponsor’s trust by seeking approval on project team member tasks and advice on all project issues. Be patient, follow the Sponsor’s lead, allow him/her time to gradually let go of tasks that should be allocated and delegated to appropriate team members. Don’t push. Once the Sponsor has developed a certain level of trust in your ability to handle tasks of concern to them, they will let go.
COMMUNICATION ATTEMPTS FAILWhen all communication attempts fail, understand that communication happens on many levels and in many different ways. Communication is continual learning process. Successful Project Managers spend the majority of their time communicating in some form or fashion. Enhance your communication skills to better assist your Sponsors and team members by exploring and understanding the organization’s communication structure. Discern what is being communicated and how information is being communicated. Seek to discover and remove barriers to communication with your Sponsors and Team Members by staying within the parameters of culture and politically-correct boundaries. Be mindful that poor communication results in overdue projects, ineffective team performance, frustration, misunderstanding and confusion. All this adds to project and business costs and it diminishes your value as Project Manager.
Moral: Do not give up or get discouraged. Remember, the ultimate goal is project success. Your ability to engage the Sponsor and Project Team is paramount for continued support, teamwork and enthusiasm for the project. Seek help from Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), Specialists, Peers, Coaches. Attend conferences, seminars and training events geared towards communication. Become a better listener. Always seek methods that promote open lines of communication.
In essence, communication, communication, communication!!! By any means necessary. If you determine the correct communication style for your organization and project members, it will enhance your Project Management and professional experiences while supporting the success of your project. No one method will work for all. Seek to understand why the Sponsor appears to be, or is, difficult to work with. Evaluate and attempt to understand their personality traits, work ethnics and motivations, as well as, your own. Try every communication tactic and tool within your grasp. The key to dealing with difficult Project Sponsors is to continuously work to uncover the communication vehicle that works for them, and then to use it generously.