by Lee Fried, on 03 Sep 2007 12:01 pm
The Journey
Changing the Role of Sponsorship
Sponsorship is a topic that I have been spending a lot of time thinking about as well as discussing with various leadership groups in the organizations. Like most organizations we are project and initiative heavy. Chances are if there is an improvement effort underway in the organization there is also a project plan and a traditional sponsorship structure. A formal structure of regular report outs, committees and decision making being consolidated in the hands of the few. Our management system is designed around this project mentality and I have found lately that it creates many cultural paradigms that we will need to find ways to work our way out of.
Even our initial Lean efforts were integrated within this system. We would find a “Lean sponsor” and put together an event driven improvement plan. We would report out to the sponsor on a regular basis and occasionally they would attend an improvement event. As we have progressed with our Lean thinking in the organization the role of Lean sponsorship has drastically changed. We have several engaged and zealot leaders now that are on the floor leading improvement on daily basis. As Lean thinking continues to deepen in the organization the tension will between these two worlds will only intensify.
Possibly the most challenging paradigm that will have to change has to do with sponsorship and what the role of leadership is in relation to improvement. In the current management system senior leaders act as sponsors for a vast number of “projects” or “initiatives.” On a regular basis these leaders will convene at sponsorship meetings were teams of specialists bring them reports on progress and requests for resources. The sponsors ensure that decisions are made, that stakeholders are aligned and that the work progresses forward.
There are many problems with this form of sponsorship/leadership. First, executives are distant from the work meaning that the real opportunities to make lasting systems changes are never made apparent. Second, sponsors tend to have many projects underway at any given time making it very difficult to coordinate resources. This leads to all kind of waste and a lack of focus. Finally, decision making and improvement is consolidated into the hands of the few, meaning that not everyone is responsible for improvement, thus a missed chance at creating a culture of continuous improvement.
The good news is that leadership is aware of these challenges and behaviors are beginning to change. We are making great progress and to put it in perspective it took the organization sixty years to build the current management system and will take many more years to adjust it to one based on Lean principles and practices.
on 04 Sep 2007 at 1:04 pm 1.Randy Fisher said …
I’ve just come across your blog, and find it quite interesting…I want to respond, with my comments around this article.
I think an important opportunity that is typically overlooked in many change efforts, is communication. That’s right, simple communication. Understand what people want to know about and what they care about and give it to them, not just in the ‘language’ that they’re asking for it, but also in the delivery mode / frequency. The types of changes that your describing here are really quite interesting, and if they were made available in ways that really fit where other people were at - even in the context of action research - you would be in a perfect place to figure out what’s next, and how you can facilitate them to the next-level insight, awareness, etc.
Just a thought…
- Randy
on 04 Sep 2007 at 8:54 pm 2.Ted Eytan said …
Lee,
Thanks for writing this. In the last 2-3 years or so I have found myself in role of “sponsor” (who would have thought of such a thing?) and I can think of one project/initiative in particular that made me uncomfortable being in this role. The project was very valuable, that didn’t make me uncomfortable. My discomfort was that I couldn’t be the kind of sponsor you are talking about. I felt it best to watch and learn in this situation because I feared that I was too far away from the people working in the area to really help our members as a true “sponsor.”
Before I got into the sponsorship business, I learned in “accelerated implementation methodology” that one characteristic of a sponsor is someone who feels the pain when things don’t go as expected. I think this is the same as seeing/feeling the impact of what we do for members. I think it’s a great thing now to ask, “why do you want me to be a sponsor and how will I feel the impact of this project on our members?”
And Randy - great thought. I pioneered the first intra-organizational blog for our Informatics work about 2 years ago. At about 800 blog posts later, almost one every day, I think it makes a difference. Not every physician reads every post, but some physicians read some posts some days, and we in fact use it to celebrate the good times, discuss the not so good times, and ask about the “what do we do next?” times.
Best,
Ted
on 04 Sep 2007 at 9:41 pm 3.Randy Fisher said …
Ted,
I am not familiar with accelerated implementation methodology - maybe I will learn more about it as I am broadening my reach. (I’m about to start a Masters in OD this fall). Your comment about “a sponsor is someone who feels the pain when things don’t go as expected” ~ actually, let me reflect back to my time at a local social service agency, and further still to my first Basic Counselling Skills class. Actually, everyone feels some level of anxiety about change, roles and responsibilities, expectations - you get the picture - before they are even asked to do something.
I recall when I observed this in Basic Counselling class - that even the most ‘together’ people were riddled with anxiety. It was such an important lesson to me - that not only do I consider this for people as a baseline, but that I deal with them with compassion, patience and understanding. Then, as observe / dialogue / interact with them in an added role (say, a sponsor of a project or initiative), it actually helps me and them build a more solid relationship, that can help achieve goals.
As a sponsor of a project, you also have a lot on the line. It’s your reputation, your personal (and professional capital), resources and team of folks working alongside, and under you…it’s a heavy duty responsibility, and it’s likely to take some time before the glory is visible. I can certainly understand the trepidation that one must feel as a sponsor, even though it is probably left unsaid, except to one’s spouse or close confidant.
I can’t say that I recall Ernest Shackleton telling his men that he was feeling fear - but I sure as heck believe everyone knew it was present.