When Your Executive Sponsor Goes MIA
READ TIME - 4 MINUTES
Jamie and Bri step into the lift, both worn out after another long day.
"Any word from Nathan?" Bri asks, her voice tinged with a little hope and a lot of frustration. Nathan is the change program’s Executive Sponsor and he’s been MIA for the past 3 months…
Jamie shakes his head, sighing. "Still nothing. We’ve submitted a bunch of reports and strategies that need his clearance, and we're just... stuck, still waiting."
Bri nods, understanding all too well.
As the lift doors closed, both fell silent, minds racing with the same thought: How can they break this cycle and finally move forward?
It’s beyond frustrating when the Exec Sponsor is the bottleneck for everything!
If your Exec Sponsor’s MIA too, here’s what works for us:
1. Create an Impact Blueprint:
When your sponsor seems disconnected, it's crucial to make their role and the project's needs crystal clear.
How to do it:
Develop a one-page 'Impact Roadmap' for your sponsor. This visual tool can show key decisions and approvals needed from them at specific milestones as the change initiative progresses.
For each decision point, include a one-sentence summary of why it's important and on the critical path.
Use a traffic light system (Red/Amber/Green) to indicate what the change team is waiting on.
As Jeff Bezos warns, "Day 2 is stasis. Followed by irrelevance. Followed by excruciating, painful decline."
The idea is that your Impact Blueprint should create urgency by clearly showing the Sponsor how their engagement (or lack thereof) directly impacts the project's timeline and success.
Pro tip: Keep it concise. Ideally, your sponsor should be able to grasp their role and the project status in under 3 minutes.
2. Use the EAST Framework:
When communicating with your sponsor, make it Easy, Attractive, Social, and Timely for them to engage.
How to do it:
Easy: Break down big decisions into smaller, more manageable chunks. Provide a clear, concise 1-page briefing document with specific recommendations.
Attractive: Always highlight the benefits of timely decisions and the potential wins for the Sponsor. Even if you think you already have, look for ways to make the benefits to the Sponsor even clearer.
Social: It can be super helpful to show how other key stakeholders or peer organisations are supporting similar initiatives.
Timely: Create a sense of urgency by clearly linking decisions to critical project milestones.
Pro tip: Tailor your communication to your sponsor's preferences. Do they prefer visual decks or high-level summaries? Written updates or face-to-face briefings?
3. Build a Coalition of the Willing:
As John Kotter emphasises, "Major change is often said to be impossible unless the head of the organisation is an active supporter."
If your head is absent, it's time to rally the troops - literally.
How to do it:
Identify influential stakeholders who can champion your cause. Look for those with a vested interest in the project's success and/or who have the Sponsor's ear.
Brief these allies on the situation and enlist their support in reaching out to the Sponsor.
This works best when you have more influential, active supporters than you first think you need. It’s worth your while to engage with as many influencers of the Sponsor as possible.
Pro tip: Be strategic in your approach. Where possible make sure your coalition represents a diverse range of perspectives and influences within the organisation.
These strategies will help you create multiple pathways to re-engage them and keep the change initiative moving forward (even at this time of year).
Look, it’s likely these approaches won't guarantee immediate success, but they will help you clarify needs, communicate effectively, and build support to navigate this annoying situation.
After all, in the world of change management, adaptability and persistence are key. You’ve got this!
Stay tuned for our email next Tuesday.
We’re talking all things "When State and National Office Clash” and sharing our best tips to turn conflict into collaboration" - Don't miss it!
Chat then,
Team EVER
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