When implementing a new project, change practitioners depend on sponsors, and sponsors should depend more on change practitioners. Both roles play a crucial part when looking to speed up the adoption of new ways of working by reducing resistance to what is a rising tide of changes within an organisation.  

Our one-day Prosci Sponsor Briefing workshop will equip Executives and Senior Leaders with the skills and techniques to lead and sponsor successful organisational change. Executives and Senior Leaders will be shown how to assess the status of their organisation’s change portfolio and how to use Prosci’s research-based methodology to maximise the ROI of the changes they are leading.

According to Prosci's 2018 Best Practices in Change Management report, 72% of respondents with extremely effective sponsors met or objectives compared to 29% with extremely ineffective sponsors.

The results of this report inform us that, although you may have a well thought out change management plan ready to be implemented throughout your organisation, if your sponsor is not effectively fulfilling the responsibilities required from the role, your organisation will struggle to be successful with change.

There is, however, a way you can provide your sponsor with the knowledge and help to become better within their role. It is common for a sponsor to change how they do their job when introduced to a new project. This information falls to the change practitioner as they are required to ensure their sponsor have awareness, desire, knowledge, ability and reinforcement to ensure changes are effectively implemented.

The Prosci ADKAR® Model is a goal-oriented change management model that guides individual and organisational change. The model supports individuals through change and success requires integrating individual change management and organisational change management. The ADKAR Model distils the change process into the most basic yet critical elements, making it easy to use.

Webinar: Advanced Applications of ADKAR- Friday 26th March

We've compiled a checklist to consider when applying ADKAR to turn senior leaders into top class change management sponsors:

• Is your Sponsor aware of not only why the change is essential within the organisation but the importance their roles plays in ensuring the change is successful and sustainable?
• Has the desire to participate and support the change as a good sponsor visible within your senior leaders?
• Do they have the knowledge required to effectively diffuse any resistance to the proposed change?
• Do they have the ability to implement the skills and behaviours required to bring enough senior leaders on board with their change?
• Are they likely to conduct a 'launch and leave' approach or will they reinforce them to sustain good sponsorship?

It's important to remember that your sponsor is also being impacted by the changes going on around them. Even if the sponsor is willing to support the changes being made, they may still encounter barriers that may prevent them from effectively fulfilling their role. If you find that you are struggling with your sponsor, the ADKAR Model is a perfect example of a way to assess potential barrier points. Motivating your sponsor is an important part of the change practitioner's role, providing them with enough information on where the project is going, the reasons behind the changes and the actions they must personally take to improve the chance of success. 

Interested to learn more about the Prosci ADKAR® model?

Join us for our upcoming 'Advanced Applications of ADKAR' webinar on Friday 26th March! Register here.

If you’d like to gain a deeper understanding of the ADKAR® model and the important role of sponsors during change, then join us for our next available three-day Prosci certification programme. Learn More.

If you're interested in private change management training for your organisation, get in touch!