The success of a project hinges in part on the people who participate in it. If the right people are not on board—or if people aren’t clear about their roles and responsibilities—the project can fail.

Whether conceptualized by a manager or a team, a project must have a sponsor. The sponsor authorizes the project. He or she should be a manager or executive with a real stake in the outcome and accountability for the project’s performance. The sponsor:

• Champions the project
• Has the authority to define the scope of the work
• Provides the project team with necessary resources
• Eliminates organizational obstructions
• Approves or rejects the final deliver ables of the project

A project sponsor also performs these critical tasks:

• Ensures that senior management supports the project team’s decisions and direction
• Ensures that the project’s progress is communicated to the rest of the organization, especially to leadership
• Watches for any changes in company objectives that may affect the project’s objectives
• Helps managers resolve any difficulties regarding their direct reports’ splitting time between project duties and regular assignments