Melissa GetchellProject Manager| Puritan Medical ProductsSangerville, Me, United States
I'm currently working on a project where gaining sponsor buy-in is crucial for our success. I would love to hear your experiences and strategies on how to effectively influence and secure sponsor support. Saving Changes...
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Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Melissa, this is a very important aspect in two ways:
1. In engaging stakeholders, we must analyze them and develop strategies to approach and influence them. Marketing, PR, and political skills can help. Normally, when thinking about influencing, we revert to organizational change management for the intended recipients of our project product but there is much more. A good book to start is Crucial Conversations by Grenny et al.
2. Influencing stakeholders up the hierarchy, you normally have no positional power and revert to politics. If your sponsor is not responsive, you may try to replace him with someone who is, but check your expectations before to be realistic. Establish a steering committee with max 6 executives relevant to your project and let them motivate themselves mutually to support the project. You only need 2-3 allies. And pull any adversary into that group to contain them. Read Macchiavelli. Kumbaja does not help. Saving Changes...
Christina PurvisStober Drives Inc.Flemingsburg, Ky, United States
Melissa, I agree with Thomas comments. One key is to start with active listening with face to face (virtual or in person) to gauge the sponsors interest and support and most importantly what their expectations and hopefully defined objectives are. These should align with the project charter. Ask questions about the tools and timing for involving them in the process. Some sponsor will want more or less communication. Saving Changes...
Always remember the "What have you done for me lately?" line when engaging with your sponsor. They are committing significant political and financial capital to your project so you need to be able to give them a reasonable return on that investment - think early and regular delivery of business value...
The ancient Greek philosophers summarized the 3 strategies of persuasion as ethos, pathos, and logos.
Unless your name and reputation stands alone, rule out ethos, and unless you have strong emotional argument you lack pathos. Focus on the logos, or appeal to logic. Bringing in facts, data, and thoughtful analysis goes a lot farther than, "I think" or "I feel".
Secondly, always approach the sponsors with a proposal rather than a request for them to dictate a solution. Rather than, "I need support from ABC", be very specific about what support you need and the implications of the default Do Nothing Solution. Saving Changes...
George FreemanThought Leader | Author | Architect| Florida, United States
Melissa,
Thomas’s response/recommendations are right on target, but it would help further if we understood more details regarding the context. Such as:
[A] Sponsorship is already determined, and the “buy-in” you desire relates to your recommendations on approach.
[B] You are selling an internally envisioned project for which you are seeking executive sponsors.
[C] You have an executive mandate, have formulated a project, and are seeking sponsorship to support the project.
[D] Something else
George Saving Changes...
Abdelrahman ShetaPMO Consultant ,PfMP,PgMP,PMP, PMIPMO-CP, P3M3| TAM DevelopmentGiza, Egypt
The responses above are excellent. Based on my experience, it's also crucial to highlight the benefits and business value, along with the journey of value delivery. Additionally, illustrating what success looks like is vital; it's more persuasive when you provide a clear path to measure the value.
Articulating the 'Whats in it for me' or WIIFM as its called has always worked out in my experience of taking stake holder buy-in. What also matters is you knowing the leadership style of stake holder and where she/he is in the overall power-interest grid concerning your project is important. This can help to decide if you need to take help of some other person (e.g. existing supporter) to meet the objective of influencing target stake holder. Making it a collaborative effort not only ensures success but can take of lot of stress off your you to handle key stake holder alone. Saving Changes...
