Just Say No To Unreasonable Sponsor Requests

  Stakeholder Management   Talent Management   PM Network  

No. It's only two letters, but it’s one of the toughest words to say, especially to sponsors because they wield so much power over your project. Sponsors have been known to expedite a timeline, limit resources or constantly shift scope—all while expecting you and your team to keep the project on track. When faced with requests you know aren’t feasible, what’s the best way to communicate with sponsors? Make your case with these five strategies.

1. Be Clear From the Start

Managing expectations must begin before project launch, says Marcel Ekkel, PMP, managing consultant at SynergySynQ Ltd., a project management training and consulting firm in Hong Kong.

“A chartering workshop is a critical tool to be used at the beginning of a project,” he says. “The sponsor and other key stakeholders should participate to establish the project, agree on top deliverables, discuss resourcing and define highlevel risks. Having key stakeholders involved creates buy-in and allows for early communication on potential issues.”

Establish tolerances (i.e., stretches in the schedules or budget), so you know when to turn to the sponsor for decision-making.

2. Explain the Consequences

Even with thorough pre-planning, some sponsors still make unrealistic requests during the course of a project.

While it may feel empowering to give a firm “no” to every change request, it’s not the best…

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