The project sponsor and their committed leadership: A fundamental element for a successful transformation

The project sponsor and their committed leadership: A fundamental element for a successful transformation

22 November, 2021

The project sponsor should provide fully fledged leadership during the organizational transformation so as to ensure the achievement of the benefits as a result of the change. This implies dedication carrying out leadership activities, both directly and through others, looking to motivate the commit of all those involved in the change.

The project sponsor should generate a sort of collective leadership in middle management, but also with those natural leaders that exist in the organization. This leadership should consist of persons that –based on genuine and sincere conviction– motivate others to know, learn about, and understand the importance and necessity of the change.

For this to happen, the sponsor should continuously, constantly accompany, monitor, and heighten the awareness of these leaders following a strategy and detailed plan from the beginning. That is to say, from when the transformation is conceived. They should also count on the people that make up the transformation’s governance bodies, those managing its implementation and the change management team.

One change management practice that we apply is what we call the Extended Change Network consisting of the organization’s natural leaders. These leaders are highly committed to and identify with the change. The network’s purpose is to generate trust and confidence in everyone with whom they interact.

However, in the end the project sponsor’s committed leadership cannot be delegated even though they must count so much on others. This is one of the fundamental elements for successful transformations.

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