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Agenda Why sponsors are important Sponsor roles Sponsor mistakes Sponsor Assessment Diagram

Why are sponsors so important? In each of Prosci’s six benchmarking studies, participants identified the # 1 contributor to success: 1998: #1 contributor – Active and visible sponsorship In the 2009 study, sponsorship was cited 4 times more often than the next response 2000: #1 contributor – Active and visible sponsorship 2003: #1 contributor – Active and visible sponsorship 2005: #1 contributor – Active and visible sponsorship 2007: #1 contributor – Active and visible sponsorship 2009: #1 contributor – Active and visible sponsorship

Authority and credibility Employees look to senior leaders for messages (both spoken and unspoken) about the project’s importance and the organization’s commitment to the change

Three primary roles of sponsors Participate actively and visibly throughout the project Build a coalition of sponsorship and manage resistance Communicate directly with employees p. 38 * From Prosci’s 2009 Best Practices in Change Management benchmarking report

1. Participate actively and visibly Sponsorship is more than signing the check and “kicking the initiative out the door” Examples include: Set expectations and establish clear objectives for the project Hold the team accountable for results Attend frequent project review meetings and actively review progress

2. Build a coalition The coalition is not just an org chart The coalition is based on ‘who is being impacted’ Bottom’s up approach!

3. Communicate directly Participants identified senior business leaders as the preferred senders of messages about the business reasons for the change

Do sponsors understand their role? According to 2009 study data, 56% of sponsors did not have an adequate understanding of their role!

Biggest sponsor mistakes “Was involved only at the beginning – announced the change and then walked away.” “Assumed the change would happen without them; left the project on autopilot.” Failed to personally engage in the project Avoided direct communications with employees “Did not share the vision and the rationale for the change with employees.” “Assumed that sharing things once was enough.” * From the 2007 Best Practices in Change Management benchmarking report

Biggest sponsor mistakes “Abdicated sponsorship to the project team and outside consultant.” Abdicated or delegated his or her role as sponsor Wavered in his or her support Failed to build a coalition of sponsorship with key leaders in the organization “Moved on to other priorities; did not manage conflicting priorities.” “Failed to set expectations with direct reports; assumed support would be there.” * From the 2007 Best Practices in Change Management benchmarking report

Where are sponsors involved? Communication plan Sponsorship roadmap Coaching plan Training plan Resistance management plan A project or change management team member can develop the plans, but senior leaders must carry out the activities of sponsorship

Why sponsors struggle with ‘managing change’ They don’t understand their role Benchmarking data suggests less than half have a good understanding of their role in leading change They think they can tell people to just change They live in the future state Most change management challenges are tied to the current state

Developing a Sponsor Assessment Diagram This chart will be a strong predictor of success or failure for your change.

1. Identify impacted groups Examples: Logistics Sales Manufacturing Finance

Sales Region 1 Sales Region 2 2. Draw a Sponsor Assessment Diagram Add the impacted groups at the bottom of the diagram. You will be creating this diagram from the bottom looking upward into the organization. Primary Sponsor Sales Region 1 Logistics MFG Finance Sales Region 1 Sales Region 2

2. Draw a Sponsor Assessment Diagram For each impacted group, add the person that this group of employees would view as “in charge” of their area. Primary Sponsor e.g., Director of Logistics D.C. W.R. T.L. C.H. B.U. Sales Region 1 Logistics MFG Finance Sales Region 2

2. Draw a Sponsor Assessment Diagram Using the formal reporting structure, add all managers between these sponsors and the primary sponsor (or up to a management level equal to the primary sponsor if these sponsors do not report to the primary). Primary Sponsor U.W. S.P. M.B. E.G. E.T. A.B. G.F. P.O. IT D.C. W.R. T.L. C.H. B.U. Sales Region 1 Logistics MFG Finance Sales Region 2

Sales Region 1 Sales Region 2 2. Draw a Sponsor Assessment Diagram Show the relationship between the primary sponsor and any peers at the highest level. This resulting diagram is the sponsorship group that you will assess in Step 3. COO Primary Sponsor U.W. S.P. M.B. E.G. E.T. A.B. G.F. P.O. I.T. D.C. W.R. T.L. C.H. B.U. Sales Region 1 Logistics MFG Finance Sales Region 1 Sales Region 2

3. Determine position of sponsors/key managers relative to the change Assess the position of each manager relative to this particular change. For those who openly support the change, designate him or her with an “A”. For those who openly oppose the change or are neutral, designate him or her with a “B”. Check with the primary sponsor for any managers of whom you are unsure of their position on this change.

4. Determine CM competency level of each person on the sponsor assessment diagram Assess the sponsorship competency of each manager in the sponsor assessment diagram. Level 1 = experienced and competent in change management (80 -100 score on Sponsor Competency Assessment) Level 2 = limited experience and skills in change management (70 -79 score on Sponsor Competency Assessment) Level 3 = little knowledge or skills in change management (< 70 score on Sponsor Competency Assessment) Use the Sponsor Competency Assessment for assessing general sponsorship behaviors (for the class exercise, complete this assessment for only one manager).

Sales Region 1 Sales Region 2 5. Enter Alphanumeric designations on the sponsor assessment diagram COO A3 T.J. A1 U.W. B3 Primary Sponsor S.P. A3 M.B. A1 E.G. B2 E.T. A3 A.B. B2 G.F. A1 A.O. A2 I.T. B1 D.C. B3 W.R. A3 T.L. A2 C.H. A2 B.U. B1 Sales Region 1 Logistics MFG Finance Sales Region 1 Sales Region 2

6. Color code the sponsor assessment diagram Green – supports the change and has demonstrated a high-level of sponsor competency. Yellow – supports the change and has demonstrated a moderate level of sponsor competency. Red – opposed to the change or has demonstrated a low level of sponsor competency. A1 A2 B1, B2, B3, A3

6. Color code the sponsor assessment diagram COO T.J. U.W. Primary Sponsor S.P. M.B. E.G. E.T. A.B. G.F. P.O. I.T. D.C. W.R. T.L. C.H. B.U. Sales Region 1 Logistics MFG Finance Sales Region 1 Sales Region 2

7. Present your assessment results to the primary sponsor Maintain confidentiality (avoid embarrassing or surprising a business leader – use this diagram with care!) Gain concurrence from primary sponsor. Have a plan ready to address yellows and reds (should appear in your Sponsor Roadmap). Enlist support of primary sponsor to address the most serious challenges.