The ideal situation is
proactive sponsorship—getting a project sponsor who is committed,
accountable, serious about the project, knowledgeable, trained, and able not
only to talk the talk but also to walk the walk. Such people are trustworthy in
all respects. Their values are transparent and aligned with the organization and
its strategy. Such sponsors protect the team from disruptive outside influences
and back the team up when times are tough. It is far better to start out with
the right sponsor than having to correct a bad sponsorship situation down the
road. That is why it is so important to select the right sponsor and train the
person for the role. An organizational culture committed to this approach is a
desired goal. It represents a well-developed, mature organization. Do it right
the first time and save yourself grief later on. The best way to sustain good
sponsorship is to start out with good sponsorship. Anything less is remedial.
pages 51-52, Project Sponsorship: Achieving Management Commitment for Project Success
Success starts with a strong commitment to improve. Leaders become better prepared as sponsors of major projects by taking inventory of their talents, skills, and behaviors and putting appropriate action plans in place. Knowledge management encompasses the ascent from data to information to knowledge and wisdom. Reaching the top of the stairway represents enlightenment—eyes are fully open about why, what, and how to invoke excellence in project sponsorship.
An objective for this book is to unlock and open the door of sponsorship. The reader has choices: ignore the opportunities the open door represents... approach it cautiously...or pass through it eagerly. As you stand before an open door, you can spend time and energy on non value-adding activities...or embrace sponsor and management commitments that achieve project success.
Executives need training, experience, and practice to be effective sponsors. Sponsorship is a required and critical success factor for all projects, in all industries and disciplines. Move forward, because every day is a good day for change.
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Major upheaval requires authenticity and integrity on the part of upper managers. Most change efforts do not fail from lack of concepts or from lack of a description of how to do it right. Most change programs fail when upper managers are hoist on their own petard of inauthenticity and lack of integrity. This failure happens because people involved in the situations where managers violate authenticity and integrity sense the lack of resolve, feel the lack of leadership, and despair of the situation. When upper managers speak without authenticity, they stand like the naked emperor: they think they are clothed, but everyone else sees the truth. When upper managers lack integrity they do not "walk the walk," they only "talk the talk," and people sense the disconnection and become cynical. Management cannot ask others to change without first changing themselves.
page 9, Creating an Environment for Successful Projects: the Quest to Manage Project Management
At its most basic, the choice for upper managers is between control and results. If control is more important to an upper manager, the cost is lesser results. If results are more important, the cost is giving up some control. Getting more of one requires sacrificing a portion of the other.
page 118, Creating an Environment for Successful Projects: the Quest to Manage Project Management
To create an environment for successful projects, upper managers should research the practices that correlate with project success, get that knowledge implemented across the company, and develop a project management curriculum. These steps constitute a project management initiative....
The perspective comes from one who is there, Randall Englund....when people describe "what's going on," perhaps not every word they speak is true; but...if you think about what is being described, whatever chords of truth shine through are the important realities--the real truth.
page 203, Creating an Environment for Successful Projects: the Quest to Manage Project Management
Rick Belluzzo...emphasized the "concept, belief, strong principle I have about focus. It can be applied to everything we do. There is so much more value that if there are ten things you can do, pick one or two to do extremely well, and then go on to the third one. This is so much more valuable and so much more rewarding than trying to cover everything and doing a mediocre job." In his statements, he demonstrated values-based leadership, shared his thought processes, provided one answer to the issue of doing too many projects, and empathized with the desire of all to accomplish great results through projects. It is heartwarming when we can point to managers who act with authenticity and integrity.
page 241, Creating an Environment for Successful Projects: the Quest to Manage Project Management
Our second book from Jossey-Bass Publishers, February 2003:
Creating the Project Office: a Manager's Guide to Leading Organizational Change
by Randy Englund, Paul Dinsmore, and Bob Graham
Our greatest challenge [in summary of this book and putting the concepts into action] is to rewrite the myth of Sisyphus (from Chapter Six). Modern organizations cannot afford futile and hopeless efforts. The new hero sees the value of getting the rock up over the mountain. The rewards, of both the destination and the journey, are clear, convincing, and compelling. They got that way by passionate visionaries sharing their dreams and enlisting a guiding coalition of supporters. The dangers of the rock slipping back impact not just one person but the prosperity of the whole organization—the interconnected community. The rock is carefully chosen while other pebbles are left as is; capabilities are limited to the critical few projects. Resources are aligned on tasks that help to pull the rock up, brace it from falling back, and remove uphill obstacles. Other players keep the lions, tigers, and bears from sidetracking progress.
`The tipping point that allows the rock to
reach the top and stay there is the right people employing efficient processes
in an effective environment. The program is carefully planned, excellently
executed, and nurtured once it reaches the top. Because more mountains or
opportunities can be seen from the new vantage point achieved by successful
programs, the community realizes that the leadership, learning, means, and
motivation it developed are the best means to tackle new challenges and expand
its prosperity. Ever present is a core team of project officers who gird, goad,
and guide.
page 290, Creating the Project Office: a Manager's Guide to Leading Organizational Change
