Hey Reader,

There's a particular kind of loneliness that comes when you're leading a project and the person who's supposed to have your back isn't there.

• You approved the plan together.
• You aligned on the vision.
• You showed up at the kick-off with them.

Everything felt solid.

Then the project hits its first real obstacle.

And the sponsor goes quiet.

• They're not making decisions.
• They're not escalating on your behalf.
• They're not visibly supporting the work.

You're carrying the whole thing alone.

Sign #5 is: The Sponsor Isn't Removing Obstacles, You Are.

And it's the most dangerous sign of all.

• Because a project can survive misalignment.
• It can survive unavailable stakeholders.
• It can even survive contradictory directions.

But it cannot survive without active sponsor leadership when things get hard.

What Sponsorship Actually Is

Here's what I think many sponsors don't understand:

Your job isn't just to approve the plan and then disappear.

Your job is to remove obstacles.

• To make decisions quickly.
• To escalate internally when needed.
• To signal to your organisation that this project matters.
• To show up visibly when things get difficult.

That's sponsorship.

Approval is the easy part.

Showing up when it gets hard is the real job.

Why Sponsors Disappear

There are usually three reasons:

1. They're not actually committed to the outcome.

They approved the project because the boss wanted it.

Or because it seemed like a good idea at the time.

But they don't really believe in it.

So when it gets difficult, they're not willing to spend political capital on it.

2. They're managing risk through distance.

Some sponsors think the best way to protect themselves is to stay distant.

If the project fails, they weren't that involved.

If it succeeds, they'll take credit.

It's a defensive posture.

And it kills delivery.

3. They don't understand their role.

Many sponsors think their job ends with approval.

They don't realise that the hard work starts after the plan is approved.

So they move on to the next thing, expecting the delivery lead to just execute.

And when obstacles come up, they're surprised to be asked to get involved.

The Cost

When a sponsor disappears, it cascades through the project.

The team feels unsupported.

• They're making sacrifices.
• They're pushing.

But the person who's supposed to be leading isn't there.

Morale drops.

You, as the delivery lead, carry double duty.

• You're managing the work AND acting as proxy-sponsor.
• You're making decisions that should be made higher up.
• You're escalating issues that should be escalated by the sponsor.

You're carrying the political burden alone.

That's unsustainable.

Obstacles take longer to clear.

When the sponsor isn't removing obstacles.

You build workarounds.

You find creative solutions.

But the real blockages don't get addressed.

Progress slows.

Stakeholder confidence erodes.

If the sponsor isn't visibly behind the project, why should anyone else be?

If the sponsor isn't making decisions, why should anyone else?

The message is: This project isn't that important.

How To Spot It Early

Week 1:

You have your first blocker.

You escalate to the sponsor.

Notice: Do they address it? Or does it sit?

If it sits for more than a few days, that's signal #1.

Week 2-3:

You need a decision that only the sponsor can make.

Notice: How long does it take them to decide?

If it's more than a week, that's signal #2.

By Week 4:

You're encountering resistance from another department.

You need the sponsor to help clear it.

Notice: Do they step in? Or do they say "You handle it"?

If they defer, that's signal #3.

By week 4, you know if you have a sponsor or not.

What To Do About It

Step 1: Have a direct conversation.

Don't let this fester.

Schedule time with the sponsor.

Say: "I want to check in on your involvement in this project. When blockers come up, I'm going to need your active support. That means making decisions quickly, escalating internally when needed, and being visible about the priority of this project. Are you able to do that?"

Step 2: Listen to their answer.

They might say:

- "Yes, absolutely. I'm committed to this." (Then you hold them to it.)

- "I'm stretched thin right now, but I'll make it work." (Then you clarify expectations and set specific times when you'll need them.)

- "I'm not sure I can commit to that right now." (Then you have a real problem to solve.)

- Silence or deflection. (Which is its own answer.)

Step 3: Make expectations explicit.

If they say yes, write down what that means:

"We've agreed that I'll escalate blockers to you within 24 hours, and you'll provide direction within 48 hours. We'll have a 30-minute sync every week. You'll communicate priorities to your team so they know this project matters."

Make it specific. Make it visible.

Step 4: Test their commitment.

The first time a real blocker comes up, bring it to them.

See if they step in.

If they do, you have a sponsor.

If they don't, you've confirmed what you suspected.

Step 5: If commitment is weak, escalate the sponsorship issue.

If the sponsor can't or won't show up, you have a resource problem.

And it needs to be escalated.

Say to senior leadership: "This project needs active sponsorship. [Person] isn't able to provide it right now. Who else can step into this role?"

This isn't about blaming the sponsor.

It's about getting a sponsor who can actually lead.

A Real Example

I was brought in to rescue a programme once.

It was six months in, significantly behind schedule, and everyone was frustrated.

I asked the delivery lead: "What's the biggest blocker?"

She said: "The sponsor. He approved the plan, then disappeared. Every decision takes weeks. Every obstacle sits. I'm making decisions I'm not qualified to make and escalating on my own."

I asked to meet with the sponsor.

In that conversation, I said: "This project needs you. Not just for approval, but for active leadership. Are you able to step up?"

He was honest: "I don't think so. I'm overcommitted right now."

That was the real information.

We escalated it to his boss.

A different sponsor stepped in, someone with actual capacity.

Within weeks, the project started moving.

Not because the work changed.

But because there was active leadership.

A sponsor who shows up is worth more than a bigger budget.

A sponsor who disappears will cost you everything.

So name it early.

Ask directly: Are you in or out?

If they're in, hold them to it.

If they're out, find a different sponsor.

But don't wait and hope they magically become engaged.

They won't.

If you took the assessment and Sign #5 showed up on your project, do this:

• Schedule time with your sponsor.
• Have the conversation: "I need you to be actively involved. Can you commit to that?"

Based on their answer, either clarify expectations or escalate the sponsorship as a resource issue.

Don't carry this alone.

A project without active sponsor leadership is a project headed for failure.

And you can't be both the delivery lead and the proxy-sponsor.

It's too much.

Get the real sponsor back.

Praying you have a blessed week.

Yom

P.S. - Sponsors often don't realise how important their visibility is. Sometimes all it takes is naming it. "I need you to be actively involved." That conversation changes everything.

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