The Project Manager’s Guide to Dealing With Difficult Sponsors

Part of the challenge that the project manager faces is the reality of having to serve so many different stakeholders and sometimes being pulled in very different directions. We’re often taught that our “sponsor” is the person who is the champion of the effort. Indeed, they are often the one we’re to seek out for support and issue resolution throughout the project. But what do you do when your sponsor is the problem?

As I travel the country and beyond to speak to business analysts, project managers, and team leaders about how to best manage problem attendees in their meetings or deal with difficult team members, I am astounded by how often someone raises their hand to ask, “But what do you do if your sponsor is the problem?” I have to admit that that does pose an interesting dilemma, but it’s not one void of strategies you can use to address this not too uncommon dilemma. Let’s explore a few different varieties of the “difficult sponsor” and see how they can be managed for optimum success.

Sponsor Type 1: I hope you don’t mind me intimidating everyone with my overbearing nature at your team meetings. I’m just trying to help you speed things along.

Read the rest at ProjectSmart.

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