The Early Warning Report™
Issue # 42 | An example of Inadequate Sponsorship
EARLY WARNING SIGN
Your sponsor is increasingly absent from the meetings and conversations where project direction is established.
An occasional scheduling conflict is rarely a concern. A pattern of missed steering committee meetings, delegated attendance by someone without decision-making authority, or limited visible advocacy for the project is different. Experienced project leaders learn to watch for declining sponsor visibility because it often signals more than a busy executive. The warning sign is not simply that the sponsor isn't present—it is that the project is beginning to operate without active leadership where organizational authority resides.
WHAT IT USUALLY MEANS
Reduced sponsor visibility often reflects weakening ownership rather than a temporary scheduling problem.
This may indicate competing executive priorities, an unclear understanding of the sponsor's role, or diminishing confidence in the project's strategic importance. Whatever the reason, active sponsorship is becoming inconsistent. As engagement declines, decisions, stakeholder alignment, and organizational support become increasingly dependent on the project manager—responsibilities that extend beyond the authority of the role.
WHY IT MATTERS
When executive leadership becomes less visible, projects gradually lose direction before they lose schedule.
Without consistent sponsorship, priorities become less certain, stakeholders receive fewer reinforcing messages, and organizational issues remain unresolved longer than they should. The project team may continue delivering work, but execution and strategic intent begin to drift apart. By the time this becomes visible in project performance, the underlying leadership gap has often been affecting the project for weeks or months.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU SEE THIS WARNING
Reconfirm the sponsor's role and expected level of engagement before reduced visibility becomes the new normal.
Schedule a focused conversation to review the sponsor's responsibilities for decision-making, stakeholder alignment, and escalation support. Confirm expectations for participation in governance meetings and availability for key decisions. Addressing engagement early helps restore clarity before gaps in leadership begin affecting project direction.
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REFLECTION
If your project's sponsor became unavailable for the next month, what important decisions, relationships, or organizational barriers would be left without clear executive ownership?
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Until next week, keep watching for the warning signs.
— Andrew J Putnam, Author of Stop Project Killers