The Courageous Sponsor

This book helps executive leaders get to grips with what it means to be an effective project sponsor.
Over the author's long career as a project management professional, executive coach and board director, she has worked with many experienced leaders who have been thrown into the role of a project sponsor. Many don't know where to start or who to ask for help.
This book will help you understand the fundamental skills and expected behaviours of an effective project sponsor, and the positive impact this can have on the team and the project outcomes.
It is filled with examples, stories and practical action steps to help the reader build their courageous sponsor skills.


Selected contents:
The basics — Understand the basic project terminology and what it means to be a sponsor
Sponsor personas — understand the different types of sponsor behaviour
Know when to ask for help
Get your project under control
Build your team
Focus on action
Give and receive courageous feedback
Develop project roadmaps
Define success and execute your plan
Communicating with stakeholders
Take your game to the next level
The road ahead — continuous improvement
Reviews
Based on my 15 years' experience as a sponsor, I know projects are never easy. And when things go wrong, the financial and human cost is substantial. This book is a must-read, full of practical lessons that will help any existing or aspiring sponsor and their teams improve project outcomes. — Tim Mitchell-Adams, Business Executive
With the rise of the Project Economy, sponsors and senior leaders must rapidly increase their project knowledge and competencies. 'The Courageous Sponsor' is a perfect way to get started and understand the role and techniques to be a successful project sponsor. Thanks to Annie Sheehan's experience in this field, the book is full of real-life examples and insights, which makes the reading worthwhile. — Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez, global expert in Project Management, Author of “Lead Successful Projects” and “The Project Revolution”. 2016 Global Chair, Project Management Institute


Annie Sheehan's book is a roadmap to being the kind of sponsor that project teams long for. Dive in deeply, or choose a chapter that strikes a nerve of a current project pain you are experiencing. You will find that being an effective sponsor is within your reach, and dramatically improves what you and your team can achieve together. — — Kimberly Wiefling, Author of Scrappy Project Management — The 12 Predictable and Avoidable Pitfalls Every Project Faces