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Home » The Relationship Management Key » 6I. Sponsor-to-Team Leader Relationships
- 6I1. A sponsor-to-team leader relationship is a dotted-line staff relationship between a leader and a team leader.
- 6I2. A sponsor has no formal authority over the team leader.
- 6I3. A team leader should have one, and only one, sponsor for a particular team.
- 6I3i. The project leader has a dotted-line relationship with a sponsor, who typically sits on a Vector or Sector Steering Council. The sponsor provides direction, resources, oversight, and coaching to the project leader.
- 6I3ii. Figure 6.9. Diagram of sponsor-to-project leader relationship.
- 6I4. Rights of the sponsor:
- 6I4i. To be treated as an empowered adult.
- 6I4ii. To set direction for the team leader.
- 6I4iii. To receive honest estimates of what will be required to get the work done.
- 6I5. Rights of the team leader:
- 6I5i. To be treated as an empowered adult.
- 6I5ii. To only make commitments the team can keep and that are in line with organizational priorities.
- 6I5iii. To have contingency included in any accountability commitment.
- 6I6. Responsibilities of the sponsor:
- 6I6i. To treat the team leader as an empowered adult.
- 6I6ii. To help the team leader develop his capabilities.
- 6I6iii. To provide feedback on the performance of the team leader.
- 6I6iv. To ensure that he doesn’t ask the team leader to accept accountability for outcomes that are not possible to achieve.
- 6I6v. To ensure that the team leader has included sufficient contingency in his estimates so that he can be successful.
- 6I6vi. To build the relationship with the team leader.
- 6I7. Responsibilities of the team leader:
- 6I7i. To negotiate accountability in line with organizational priorities.
- 6I7ii. To build the relationship with the sponsor.
- 6I7iii. To only accept accountability that can be fulfilled.
- 6I7iv. To keep the sponsor informed on team progress.
