Get Your Projects Approved By Showing Management How They Support Their Strategic Plans

Now more than ever team leaders and project directors need the support of senior management to make a success of their projects at work

. Yet, in my work in change management over the past ten years, I have found that persuading executives to support an initiative continues to be one of the biggest areas of concern for group managers.

To try to better understand what senior management needs to support a project, I asked a number of vice presidents and executive vice presidents from both the private and public sector for their advice. Below are two areas I found are often overlooked. By focusing on them, your chances of gaining executive support will be greatly improved.

Expecting Immediate Support

According to several executives I interviewed, team leaders and function heads often mistakenly conclude that one brilliant pitch is enough to gain agreement and buy-in. The reality is that support doesn't happen overnight.

One government agency executive I spoke with mentioned that it has taken three to four years to build enough support to gain an increase in congressional funding. He used the example to illustrate the fact that managers need to take a more strategic and long-term perspective. He suggested that managers looking for support should:

1. give clear and understandable examples of how your project or proposal will become an asset for the entire organization.

2. Work closely with associates in other areas of the company. Find ways to combine priorities and goals into single initiatives in order the strengthen the benefit to the entire organization.

3. Talk in advance of your proposal to senior management and other stakeholders in the organization. Listen to their ideas and advice. Be willing to change your proposal based on their feedback.

4. Be patient and make your proposal for resources only after you have created a strong enough case and have received informal support from executive management for your ideas.

Not Understanding the Strategic Goals of the Company

This is a crucial point when it comes to gaining support. Most executive teams have a vision for the future and a number of strategic goals in place to help the organization realize the vision. You are much more likely to gain support when you show how your team's plan will help to further the strategic goals. Doing this successfully means being able to read between the lines and understand what is important without waiting to be told what to do.

What does this all mean? I hear from senior executives are hoping that their team leaders will be able to:

1. Understand the organization's overall priorities.

2. Proactively suggest how their team can help the organization achieve its goals.

Scott Eblin suggests in "The Next Level" that you spend time with executive management before approaching them with a proposal in order to identify how they define a successful initiative. They key to keep in mind, however, is that at this stage they are unlikely to provide a specific to-do list and ideas for achievement. Your goal is to listen to discover organization-wide priorities and constraints. Be a sponge in these conversations. Take it to your management and discuss it further. Then return to senior management with more concrete goals for your group and plans to achieve the goals. At all times, flexibility is key in order to provide for feedback from the executive team.

Senior level support for your team's project may seem impossible to achieve, but if you are persistent you will be able to make the executive team understand how your project fits into their scheme. Your goal is to stay focused on the strategic objectives of the company and to clearly communicate how your project will be important in achieving those goals. Who knows, you may find your team and your project becomes a critical component in the success of the entire company!

by: Wendy Mack

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