How do you get the business executives to be involved in projects on an informed basis? Indeed, how do you get these executives to ‘own’ and ‘lead’ their projects?

All of the research into why projects fail highlights “lack of senior management involvement” as one of the top three reasons. So, their involvement is critical, but too often missing. Why?

Often, one of the major reasons why the business does not get involved in their projects, even when they’re important projects, is that they don’t exactly know how to be involved or what to do (and not do). And they’ve seen enough projects go sour to not feel too enthusiastic about being too closely involved.

This Guide addresses this problem.

In a few, short, focused pages, this “Understanding Business Project Leadership” Guide explains to senior executives

1. why their involvement is critical to their project’s success
2. how they need to get involved, and what this means for them
3. the accountabilities they need to take on to ensure their project’s success.

Benefits

This guide uses business language to explain

1. the business challenges involved in projects and how project governance addresses them so that executives can understand the importance and relevance of their roles.
2. the three key roles they need to perform, what they mean and what happens when they’re not (well) performed
3. the commitment they’re being asked to make so they’re under no illusions about what is involved
4. their resultant ‘Charter’ as a project sponsor so that they understand their overall roles and accountabilities.

A fast, focused briefing on the nature and needs of Project Sponsorship.

Who should read

This Guide is designed for

1. All senior executives and Board members
2. All potential project sponsors
3. CIOs, PMOs and Project practitioners who need to increase the level of business involvement
4. Those responsible for Project Governance structures, programs and eduction.

Contents

1. “Why do I need to be involved in projects?”
2. (To) establish absolute clarity as to what your project is going to deliver and the business value it will realize
3. (To) take a long-term business perspective at all times
4. (To) govern the project
5. The Sponsor’s Declaration (the pre-requisites to starting a project)
6. The Project Sponsor’s Charter

Bonus

The Keys to Effective Project Governance
A White Paper written by Jed Simms and published by TEC that describessome of our research into Project Governance and its failings, and now this needs to be addressed to ensure effective Project Governance