Governance for Success — Six Elements Program Sponsors Need to Address

  Governance   Program Management   Scope Management   Knowledge Shelf  

A Jack-of-all-trades

The scope and dependencies of a complex program never appear more intimidating than when viewed for the first time. Too often this can be the perspective of the program sponsor, who is trying to stay focused on the goals of the initiative while juggling the significant responsibilities of his or her day job. This tough job of program oversight and governance can be exacerbated when an executive program sponsor is not adequately prepared and has the wrong expectations. The most damaging missteps of program governance can usually be traced back to an incomplete understanding of the scope of the job and its codependences by someone designated to function as its steward.

This can manifest itself as inappropriate distancing, assuming the sponsor is a figurehead with a minimum of functional effect. It is unrealistic to believe that the relationships, interdependencies and dynamics of a large program can be micromanaged or even overseen from the elevation of the program sponsor. Project managers and the program manager can attend to these types of details in the program.

But no one is positioned to view the big picture like the program’s executive sponsor. It is imperative that he or she be informed and engaged enough to interpret developments accurately and execute his or her responsibilities in a timely manner. The executive sponsor also …

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