The Other Side of the Table Speaks

Previous posts identify Sponsorship as a pervasive problem for a wide variety of programs.  Let's consider life on the other side of the table. . . 
 
"I’m the CXO of a large company.  And I will tell you, in a rare unguarded moment, that I’m sick to death of the namby-pamby nature of the people who work for me. 

My problem is people hound me every day to anoint their beloved project as the “most important” or “the absolute top priority” of the company.

Look, we can’t have twelve top priorities.

Something has to give.  

So let me tell you what I can do for you and suggest what you should do for me. 

• I set priorities for the entire company.  If your project is sufficiently large and important I may define success for your project.  If I do it will be high-level—I don’t know enough about what you are doing to give you granular guidance.  So here’s my guidance: irrespective of whether I anoint your project or not act as if your program is my top program.  Better to err on the side of self-importance than on the side of indifference when you’re spending the shareholders’ money.

• I allocate resources.  But at a pretty high level.  It’s your role to tell me what you need and why you need it.  If you don’t I guarantee you will not get what you need.  And remember it’s always a battle—you’ll have to fight for what you need.  Don’t forget what I previously said, I expect everyone will think and act like their project is the top priority project.

• I can solve some of your problems, but only if you’re truly a top priority and you have a problem that no one else can solve.  Better yet, don’t wait around for me or anyone above you to solve your problems.  We might but I wouldn’t stake my career on it.

• I determine success and failure—and I’m in a position to reward success and punish failure.  So make my job easy.  Don’t look to me to tell you what’s important; treat every project and assignment as your top priority.  Figure out what you need and do everything possible to get it.  Use me wisely—waste my time on small problems and you’ll have a small chance of engaging me again.  And for goodness sake get clear in your own mind what you’re trying to achieve—tell me what I should see as a result of your project, don’t leave it up to me to guess if you’ve succeeded or failed.

Enough said.  It’s tee time.  Now get back to work."