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May 18, 2016

How BAs Can Influence Sponsors for Success

Michelle Kahler, MBA, PMP, CBAP, Prosci©

michelle.kahler@northhighland.com

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ABOUT ME

I’ve been a sports enthusiast all my life and after playing university basketball and pro women’s football, I’ve learned the value and satisfaction of helping friends and associates solve problems and achieve objectives. My professional career began with sports marketing and evolved to implementing process and technology solutions. Continuing to develop my expertise in business analysis, project management and change management, is my current passion!

WHAT MOTIVATES ME

Solving Problems

Developing Expertise

Competition

Salary / Bonus

Project Success

MichelleKAHLERMBA, PMP, CBAP, Prosci

EXPERIENCE

I am currently a business consultant at North Highland, a global management consulting firm headquartered in Atlanta. For the past 17 years, I’ve helped expand and develop Project Management, Change Management, and Business Analysis capabilities for a wide range of public and private sector organizations. My specific areas of expertise include program and project management, business and process analysis, training development and delivery, organizational change management, schedule management and quality assurance.

EDUCATION / ASSOCIATIONS

PMP®, Project Management Institute (PMI)

CBAP®, International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA)

Prosci® Certification for Change Management

MBA, University of California, Davis

BA, University of California, Irvine

Presenter Profile

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North Highland is a global consulting firm that has changed the model of how a consultancy serves its clients. We work with the largest organizations in the world – business, government and non-profit – to achieve exceptional results.

2,500 professionals across the globe; over 900 in the U.S.

53 offices in the U.S. and around the world

Headquartered in the U.S. (Atlanta)

Private company; employee owned

Ranked top 5 in Consulting Magazine’s 2014 Best Firms To Work (9th consecutive year)

About North Highland

HighLow

Why a Rockstar Sponsor is Critical to Your Project

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Good sponsors enable project success.

Pulse of the Profession®: Capturing the Value of Project Management, February 2015 – PMI.org/Pulse

Prosci® 2013 Study - http://www.change-management.com/

High Performers = organizations that achieve 80% or more of projects on time, on budget and meeting original goals.

Low Performers = organizations that achieve 60% or fewer projects on time, on budget and meeting original goals

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Who is a Sponsor?

A Sponsor is an executive or director with the power to

sanction a change and who holds accountability for a

project’s success.

“My major goal is to give the team

what they need to be successful and

bring the intended value to the

company.” – Matt Shufeldt, VP /

Business Information Security Officer

(BISO) at TriZetto

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Why is this Important for BAs?

• As a Business Analyst:

› You care about your project’s success.

› You are uniquely positioned in the project.

› You have trusted relationships.

› You have business and technical knowledge.

Your Influence

Matters!

What Sponsors Look for in BAs

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Meet your Sponsors expectations.

Based on anecdotal executive feedback and IIBA LinkedIn

conversation, Sponsors indicate they WANT their BAs to:

Have a holistic view of the organization, know the enterprise goals

/ vision and how they align with the project – deliver ROI.

Understand the business and add value with innovative solution

options.

Provide clear and accurate analysis for informed decision making.

Demonstrate facilitation and communication skills – to help elicit

and validate requirements, and ensure a common understanding.

Manage expectations, provide context and prioritize options.

Listen actively and ask the right questions.

Be trustworthy in all actions and provide truth.

Have courage, honesty and tenacity.

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Build trust.

Engaging Your Sponsor

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Non Verbal Communication is Critical.

• What’s important when wanting to have an impact on your sponsor:

› Making sound arguments is NOT the primary indicator of status and power.

› Having a justification for a request is more important than the logic behind the

justification.

› People will decide about you in less than 100 milliseconds. What are people

paying attention to?

Non verbal – 55%

How you say it – 38%

Words – 7%

• Using your body in interactions can negotiate power and status:

› Your body language, without any words, can signal that you don’t want to fight

but you want to have a discussion.

• There is a critical alignment between your body and mind when

influencing your sponsor.

Deborah Gruenfeld, "Acting with Power“ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mLFUtv0pCo

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Exercise: Practice Power and Confidence.

This exercise is to show the importance of body language in helping

you feel confident and powerful when influencing your sponsor.

Step 1: Get into an expansive posture and hold it.

• Read Aloud (on the count of 3): “I can’t do it. I feel helpless. I’m

not worthy.”

Step 2: Get into a constrictive posture, lean forward, turn a foot

in, and hold it.

• Read Aloud (on the count of 3): “I’m totally in charge. I’m

invincible. I’m on top of the world.”

Deborah Gruenfeld, "Acting with Power“ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mLFUtv0pCo

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How you say it: the right visual.

The Back of the Napkin, Dan Roam, 2009

Qualitative

representation

Quantitative

representation

Position in space

Position in time

Cause and effect

Deduction and

prediction

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How you say it: the right conversation.

Crucial Conversations, Authors: Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, Switzler; 2012

Crucial Conversation:

“A discussion between two

or more people where (1)

stakes are high, (2)

opinions vary, and 3)

emotions run strong.

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The power of dialogue – three techniques.

As explained in the book, “Crucial Conversations”:

• Start with Heart

› Start with ourselves - have positive intent and true motives.

› Stay focused on what you really want: don’t try to win the conversation,

punish the other person, or keep the peace (silence).

• Learn to Look

› Notice when safety is at risk – physical, emotional and behavioral signs

that lead to:

Silence – masking (e.g., sarcasm), avoiding, withdrawing.

Violence – controlling, labeling (e.g., stereotype), attacking.

• Make it Safe

› Step out of the conversation, make it safe, step back in.

Apologize (if appropriate), contrast to fix misunderstanding, create

mutual purpose (Commit, Recognize, Invent, Brainstorm).

Crucial Conversations, Authors: Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, Switzler; 2012

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Exercise: Crucial Conversation.

Time to have our own “Crucial Conversation”.

• Goal: Reach a mutual agreement.

• Pair up and select which role you will play and practice the

dialogue techniques we discussed. (see next slide for roles)

• After 5 minutes switch roles.

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Exercise: Crucial Conversation

• Role 1: Project Sponsor, CFO. Wants to cut $1M technology

upgrade project budget in half with same scope functionality and

move up delivery time from 1 year to 8 months in order to satisfy

budget cuts, the board and external customers who’ve been

waiting for this solution upgrade for 2 years.

› Extra: Last week the BA provided data to you on a project related

report that you felt was in error but didn’t follow-up. You feel like you

can’t trust this individual to provide you with data to make the right

decisions.

• Role 2: Business Analyst in IT. Been working on stakeholder

requirements sessions and prioritizing features for 6 months.

Understand CFO ask and know that can’t deliver same scope in a

faster time. Join meeting with PM and CFO to discuss.

› Extra: Since you delivered a report to the CFO last week, they’ve been

standoffish with you and a little argumentative with your input in other

meetings. You’re guessing it has something to do with that report…

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Debrief – How did we do?

• How many reached an agreement?

• What dialogue approach did you take and how did you each

respond?

• What worked best?

• What didn’t work?

PRACTICE!

A Tool to Understand Your Key Sponsors

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Exercise: Sponsor Assessment Diagram

Purpose

As a BA, you may utilize this tool to analyze your key sponsors to

better understand how to help them support and overcome

resistance to the change your project is enabling.

1. Identify key sponsors.

a. Begin by identifying your primary sponsor for the project.

b. Identify impacted groups and who is managing that group.

c. Add any additional senior leaders between these managers and the

primary sponsor, based on reporting hierarchy.

˗ The key sponsors are managers or business leaders needed to be

advocates for, and are in a position to authorize, the change.

˗ Make sure only critical business leaders needed for the change to

succeed are included.

Prosci® 2014

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J.L.N.P. D.S. F.C.

M.C.

D.A

M.A.

R.B.I.D.

J.R.

J.D.

J.P.

J.DLV.

R.C.

E.R.

J.C.

C.N.

H.S.

E.D.

R.H.

E.M.

E.M.

Sponsors

Workstream

Leads

Program Team

CONFIDENTIAL

Sponsor Assessment Diagram (Example)

Prosci® 2014

Primary Sponsor

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Sponsor Assessment Diagram

2. Evaluate each sponsor through interviews, conversations and

research, that feed into scoring:

a. Score 1: Overall support for the project. Add this letter into each sponsor box.

i. A = Openly supports the project

ii. B = Openly opposes the project, or is neutral

b. Score 2: Competency level around organizational change management. Add

this number into each sponsor box.

(can use “Sponsor Competency Assessment” questions on the next slide)

i. Level 1 = experienced and knowledgeable in roles/responsibilities and skills

in change management

ii. Level 2 = limited experience in roles/responsibilities and skills in change

management

iii. Level 3 = no knowledge or skills in roles/responsibilities in Change

Management

c. Update diagram with alpha-numeric and color coding.

Prosci® 2014

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Sponsor Competency AssessmentSponsor competency assessment

Participated actively and visibly throughout the project.

Least Most

Attended project and status meetings regularly. 1 2 3 4 5

Was present to kick off special events and training sessions. 1 2 3 4 5

Held the team accountable for results (defined objectives, conducted ongoing reviews).

1 2 3 4 5

Was involved in critical decision making (at critical milestones, at steering committee meetings, in one-on-one sessions).

1 2 3 4 5

Ensured that the project had the right team members, budget and resources for success.

1 2 3 4 5

Was accessible to the project team; ensured that other managers were accessible as well.

1 2 3 4 5

Built a coalition of sponsorship with peers and managers.

Sponsored the change with direct reports (created awareness of the need for change, built support and followed up).

1 2 3 4 5

Established clear expectations with mid-level managers. 1 2 3 4 5

Dealt with problem managers (managed resistance). 1 2 3 4 5

Created a sponsorship cascade with managers; ensured that they were building support with their direct reports.

1 2 3 4 5

Listened to and addressed management concerns. 1 2 3 4 5

Held direct, face-to-face meetings with front-line supervisors to explain “what, why and how.”

1 2 3 4 5

Provided management/leadership team with frequent updates and status information.

1 2 3 4 5

Sponsored the change upward. 1 2 3 4 5

Communicated to employees and managers.

Was visible to employees; effectively communicated why the change was happening, the risks of not changing and the vision for the organization.

1 2 3 4 5

Linked key performance indicators and financial objectives to the change. 1 2 3 4 5

Enabled communications to be two-way (allowed for feedback and question/answer sessions).

1 2 3 4 5

Spoke face-to-face at town meetings, road shows and key presentations. 1 2 3 4 5

Communicated frequently throughout the project and with multiple media (not just during the kickoff of the project).

1 2 3 4 5

Interacted effectively with managers; helped them create and communicate a consistent message to employees.

1 2 3 4 5

Score interpretation: 80 – 100 Excellent; 70 – 79 Good; 60 – 69 Fair; 59 or below Poor.

Score ______

Prosci® 2014

• Score 2 evaluation.

• When evaluating sponsors,

complete this assessment for

each one based on previous

efforts and tally the total score.

• Score results:

• 80 – 100 Excellent (Level 1)

• 70 – 79 Good (Level 2)

• < 69 Fair to poor (Level 3)

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A-1

A-2, A-3

B-1

Level 1 = experienced and knowledgeable in roles and responsibilities in change

management

Level 2 = limited experience in roles and responsibilities in change management

Level 3 = no knowledge or skills in roles and responsibilities in change management

KEY:

A = openly supports the change

B = openly oppose the change or is neutral

J.L.

A-1

N.P.

B-2

D.S.

A-1

F.C.

A-2

M.C.

A-1

D.A

A-1

M.A.

B-1

R.B.

A-2

I.D.

A-1

J.R.

B-1

J.D.

B-2

J.P.

B-2

J.DLV.

B-3

R.C.

B-1

E.R.

A-1

J.C.

A-3

C.N.

A-2

H.S.

B-2

E.D.

A-2

R.H.

B-2

E.M.

A-2

E.M.

B-1

Sponsors

Workstream

Leads

Program Team

CONFIDENTIAL

Sponsor Assessment Diagram (Example)

Prosci® 2014

B-2, B-3

Greatest advocate who can influence others

to support the change.

Key educational challenge since supportive,

but lack the skills to be an effective sponsor.

Key barrier, but also an opportunity to educate

encourage them to support the change.

(Can also combine with red)

Greatest threat since can use change management

techniques to generate resistance.

Primary Sponsor

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Sponsor Assessment Diagram

3. Take action on the results:

a. Maintain confidentiality. (avoid embarrassing or surprising a business leader –

use this diagram with care!)

b. Gain concurrence from primary sponsor.

c. Develop a plan ready to address reds and oranges, with support of yellows.

d. Enlist support of primary sponsor to address the most serious challenges and

influence others.

Prosci® 2014

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Exercise: Sponsor Assessment Diagram

After scoring your key sponsors, what activities are you planning on

performing to improve your sponsorship support and engagement?

A-1

A-2, A-3

B-1

Level 1 = experienced and knowledgeable in roles and responsibilities in change

management

Level 2 = limited experience in roles and responsibilities in change management

Level 3 = no knowledge or skills in roles and responsibilities in change management

KEY:

A = openly supports the change

B = openly oppose the change or is neutral

B-2, B-3

Greatest advocate who can influence others

to support the change.

Key educational challenge since supportive,

but lack the skills to be an effective sponsor.

Key barrier, but also an opportunity to educate

encourage them to support the change.

(Can also combine with red)

Greatest threat since can use change management

techniques to generate resistance.

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Debrief: How did we do?

A few examples of actions that could be taken based on the

sample sponsor assessment diagram:

• “M.A.”s overall group is VERY resistant to the change.

› Action: Encourage the primary sponsor to meet with the manager to explain the purpose,

how their team is impacted, understand concerns and gather feedback. If M.A. is more

bought in, they can help gain support from their team.

• “N.P.” and “D.S” have the same people reporting to them with mixed

support.

› Action: Encourage “D.S.” to engage “N.P.”, with a follow-up by the primary sponsor to

understand their resistance. Suggest also having a team meeting (maybe offsite to relax the

atmosphere) to discuss opening the change and people’s concerns.

• “J.L.”s team has divided loyalties to the manager and the project.

› Action: Ask the Program Team member “I.D.” to meet with each of “J.L.”s team to

individually interview them to share the purpose and impacts of the project and listen to

feedback and concerns. Brief back out to J.L and then the entire team and establish a

recurring feedback session to share updates and answer questions. Target reaching better

alignment with the team.

Last thoughts before you go

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Courage.

Don’t Be Silent +

Be Confident in Mind and

Body +

Have Positive Intent +

Be Honest +

= Influence and Success

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Thank You!

Michelle Kahler, MBA, PMP, CBAP, Prosci®

michelle.kahler@northhighland.com | (530) 902-0119

600 Grant St. | Suite 304 | Denver, CO 80203

www.linkedin.com/in/michellekahler

Additional Information

Developing Your Ideal Sponsor

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Sponsors need your help.

Even when projects have executive sponsors, organizations

can struggle to use them effectively.

• Many sponsors are maxed out, overseeing an average of 2.6 projects

and spending almost 34 hours a week just on sponsoring the efforts.

• When sponsors are over-extended, decisions are delayed, roadblocks

are not overcome and schedules slip.

• Most executive sponsors feel unprepared to be a sponsor and would

benefit from additional training – especially to avoid focusing on the detail.

Project Management Institute’s 2015 Pulse of the Profession® In-Depth Report: Executive Sponsor

Engagement – Top Driver of Project and Program Success

http://raconteur.net/business/wanted-engaged-executive-sponsors

“To be a really good executive sponsor

requires two sets of skills that are not always

packaged in one person. You have to have

the ability to micromanage, but not the

tendency to micromanage.”

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Utilize 5 tactics to develop your Sponsor.

1. Provide behind-the-scenes assistance to the sponsor on his or

her role.

2. Coach the sponsor on their critical activities:

Be active

Communicate

Build support

3. Hold regular meetings with the sponsor.

4. Ensure the sponsor communicates directly with impacted

employees.

5. Hold the sponsor accountable in their role.

Prosci® 2013 Study - http://www.change-management.com/

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Critical sponsor activities: Be Active.

Participate actively and visibly throughout the project.

Be accessible to the project team through all stages of the project.

Clear their calendar to be physically present at key events.

Allocate the necessary resources and provide the necessary funding.

Attend project status meetings frequently and actively track progress.

Play an active role in making timely, critical decisions.

Remove roadblocks, obstacles and barriers.

Advocate for the project and demonstrate commitment; model the

change in their own behavior.

Build excitement and enthusiasm for

the project.

Prosci® 2013 Study - http://www.change-management.com/

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Critical sponsor activities: Communicate.

Communicate directly with employees.

Deliver messages in person; talk directly to impacted employees.

Clearly articulate reasons why the change is being made and what

created the need to change.

Share the consequences and risks to the organization if the change is

not made.

Reinforce and repeat key messages consistently and frequently, not

just during the project kickoff.

Share the goals and personal expectations for the project.

Acknowledge challenges and obstacles honestly.

Prosci® 2013 Study - http://www.change-management.com/

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Critical sponsor activities: Build support.

Build a coalition of sponsorship.

Create buy-in with peers and key stakeholder groups.

Clarify roles and establish expectations with mid-level and front-line

managers.

Communicate change messages ("what, why and how") in person with

front-line supervisors.

Solicit and listen to management feedback.

Advocate for the change with senior leadership; sponsor the change

upward.

Ensure alignment with organizational strategy and direction.

Ensure change messages and support for the change are cascaded

throughout the organization.

Hold managers accountable for their support and address resistance from

management.

Prosci® 2013 Study - http://www.change-management.com/