ABSTRACT
Sponsorship is the single most important factor in ensuring successful transformation of a business through program management. Numerous studies on transformation programs have shown that one of the major obstacles for transformational change is the lack of executive commitment to the program. For a complex program to be successful in realizing the program vision, achieving business objectives, and delivering the targeted business outcomes, the need for an executive champion through the course of the program is critical. Sponsorship is this executive commitment and championship, and typically this role is titled executive sponsor. The program executive sponsor authorizes, legitimizes, and demonstrates ownership of the program. Since the program management team confronts sticky cross divisional and cross functional issues, risk, changes, constraints, and obstacles, the program manager ensures that the program gets the highest level sponsorship from the executive sponsor throughout the program management life cycle. Program sponsorship is needed at multiple levels and in varying degrees at different stages of the program to change the business. The program manager ensures that the sponsorship needs are being met from program start to end.
