© Prosci 2012 1 Sponsorship and the sponsor assessment diagram Please read Right to use this content is governed by the licensing

© Prosci 2012 www.change-management.com 1

Sponsorship and the sponsor assessment diagram

Please readRight to use this content is governed by the licensing terms and conditions for this online tool. Reproduction and distribution are not permitted under a single-user license without express permission from Prosci. For permission to reproduce or distribute content, contact Prosci at +1 970-203-9332. All trademarks and copyright notices must be retained.

Please readRight to use this content is governed by the licensing terms and conditions for this online tool. Reproduction and distribution are not permitted under a single-user license without express permission from Prosci. For permission to reproduce or distribute content, contact Prosci at +1 970-203-9332. All trademarks and copyright notices must be retained.


Agenda

• Why sponsors are important

• Sponsor roles

• Sponsor mistakes

• Sponsor Assessment Diagram


Why are sponsors so important?• In each of Prosci’s seven benchmarking studies,

participants identified the # 1 contributor to success:

1998: #1 contributor – Active and visible sponsorship





In the 2011 study, sponsorship was cited more than three times more

often than the next response

In the 2011 study, sponsorship was cited more than three times more

often than the next response 2007: #1 contributor – Active and visible sponsorship



Authority and credibility

• Employees look to senior leaders for messages (both spoken and unspoken) about the project’s importance and the organization’s commitment to the change


Three primary roles of sponsors

• Participate actively and visibly throughout the project

• Build a coalition of sponsorship and manage resistance

• Communicate directly with employees

p. 59

* From Prosci’s 2012 Best Practices in

Change Management benchmarking report


1. Participate actively and visibly

• Sponsorship is more than signing the check and “kicking the initiative out the door”

• Examples include: Set expectations and establish clear

objectives for the project Hold the team accountable for results Attend frequent project review meetings and

actively review progress


2. Build a coalition

• The coalition is not just an organizational chart

• The coalition is based on ‘who is being impacted’

• Bottom’s up approach!

T.J.

S.P. M.B.

A.B. G.F.

E.G.

I.T.E.T.

U.W.

D.C.

P.O.

T.L.W.R. B.U.C.H.

COO

Primary Sponsor

Logistics Sales Region 1 Sales

Region 2

MFG FinanceSales

Region 1


3. Communicate directly

• Participants identified senior business leaders as the preferred senders of messages about the business reasons for the change

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Other

Change management team leader

Change management team member

Project team leader

Project team member

Human Resources representative

The employee's supervisor

Department head

Senior manager

Executive manager

CEO/President

Percent of respondents

Business messages

Personal messages

© Prosci. From Prosci’s 2012 Best Practices in Change Management benchmarking report


Do sponsors understand their role?

According to 2009 study data, 56% of sponsors did not have an adequate understanding of their role!

© Prosci. From Prosci’s 2009 Best Practices in Change Management benchmarking report

Sponsor role understanding

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

1 - No understanding of what sponsorship means

2 - Slight understanding

3 - Some understanding

4 - Adequate understanding

5 - Complete understanding of roles and responsibilities

Percent of respondents

2009

2007


Biggest sponsor mistakes

1. Failed to remain visible and engaged throughout the project

2. Failed to demonstrate support for the project in words and actions

* From the 2012 Best Practices in Change Management benchmarking report

“Was involved only at the beginning – announced the

change and then walked away.”

“Did not actively participate.”

“Assumed the change was obvious, rational and logical, and

therefore did not require any direct support.”

“Did not empower the team”


Biggest sponsor mistakes

3. Failed to effectively communicate messages about the need for change

4. Ignored the people side of change

5. Delegated or abdicated the sponsorship role and responsibilities

“Did not articulate the change or the business

benefits.”

“Assumed the initiative will sell itself because it’s a good solution.”

“Delegated the leadership/sponsorship to a

subordinate or the project manager.”

* From the 2012 Best Practices in Change Management benchmarking report


Prosci’s Change Management Process

Prosci® 3-Phase Change Management Process

Where are sponsors involved?

Communication plan

Sponsor roadmap

Coaching plan

Training plan

Resistance management plan

A project or change management team member can develop the plans, but senior leaders must carry out the activities of sponsorship

A project or change management team member can develop the plans, but senior leaders must carry out the activities of sponsorship


Currentstate

Transitionstate

Futurestate

Why sponsors struggle with ‘managing change’

1. They don’t understand their role• Benchmarking data suggests less than half have

a good understanding of their role in leading change

2. They think they can tell people to just change

3. They live in the future state• Most change management

challenges are tied to the current state


Developing a Sponsor Assessment Diagram

This chart will be a strong predictor of success or failure for

your change.


1. Identify impacted groups

Examples:• Logistics• Sales• Manufacturing• Finance


PrimarySponsor


Region 2

MFG FinanceSales

Region 1

2. Draw a Sponsor Assessment DiagramAdd the impacted groups at the bottom of the diagram. You will be creating this

diagram from the bottom looking upward into the organization.


2. Draw a Sponsor Assessment Diagram For each impacted group, add the person that this group of employees would view

as “in charge” of their area.

PrimarySponsor

D.C. T.L.W.R. B.U.C.H.

Logistics Sales Region 2

MFG FinanceSales

Region 1

e.g., Director of Logistics

e.g., Vice President of Sales


2. Draw a Sponsor Assessment Diagram Using the formal reporting structure, add all managers between these

sponsors and the primary sponsor (or up to a management level equal to the primary sponsor if these sponsors do not report to the primary).

PrimarySponsor

S.P. M.B.

A.B. G.F.

E.G.

ITE.T.

U.W.

D.C.

P.O.

T.L.W.R. B.U.C.H.

Logistics Sales Region 2

MFG FinanceSales

Region 1


2. Draw a Sponsor Assessment Diagram Show the relationship between the primary sponsor and any peers at the highest level. This

resulting diagram is the sponsorship group that you will assess in Step 3.

PrimarySponsor

S.P. M.B.

A.B. G.F.

E.G.

I.T.E.T.

U.W.

D.C.

P.O.

T.L.W.R. B.U.C.H.

COO


Region 2

MFG FinanceSales

Region 1


3. Determine position of sponsors/key managers relative to the change

• Assess the position of each manager relative to this particular change.

– For those who openly support the change, designate him or her with an “A”. For those who openly oppose the change or are neutral, designate him or her with a “B”.

– Check with the primary sponsor for any managers whose position you are unsure of on this change.


4. Determine CM competency level of each person on the sponsor assessment

diagram• Assess the sponsorship competency of each

manager in the sponsor assessment diagram.– Level 1 = experienced and competent in change management (80 -100

score on Sponsor Competency Assessment)– Level 2 = limited experience and skills in change management (70 -79

score on Sponsor Competency Assessment)– Level 3 = little knowledge or skills in change management (< 70 score on

Sponsor Competency Assessment)

• Use the Sponsor Competency Assessment for assessing general sponsorship behaviors (for the class exercise, complete this assessment for only one manager).


5. Enter Alphanumeric designations on the sponsor assessment diagram

T.J.A1

S.P.A3

M.B.A1

A.B.B2

G.F.A1

E.G.B2

I.T.B1

E.T.A3

U.W.B3

D.C.B3

A.O.A2

T.L.A2

W.R.A3

B.U.B1

C.H.A2

COOA3


Region 2

MFG FinanceSales

Region 1

Primary Sponsor


6. Color code the sponsor assessment diagram

A1

B1, B2, B3, A3

A2

Green – supports the change andhas demonstrated a high-level of sponsor competency.

Yellow – supports the change and has demonstrated a moderate level of sponsor competency.

Red – opposed to the change or has demonstrated a low level of sponsor competency.


6. Color code the sponsor assessment diagram

T.J.A1

S.P.A3

M.B.A1

A.B.B2

G.F.A1

E.G.B2

I.T.B1

E.T.A3

U.W.B3

D.C.B3

P.O.A2

T.L.A2

W.R.A3

B.U.B1

C.H.A2

COOA3

Primary Sponsor


Region 2

MFG FinanceSales

Region 1


7. Present your assessment results to the primary sponsor

• Maintain confidentiality (avoid embarrassing or surprising a business leader – use this diagram with care!)

• Gain concurrence from primary sponsor.

• Have a plan ready to address yellows and reds (should appear in your Sponsor Roadmap).

• Enlist support of primary sponsor to address the most serious challenges.

Documents

© Prosci 2012 1 Sponsorship and the sponsor assessment diagram Please read Right to use this content is governed by the licensing