LEADERSHIP

LEADING HIGH-STAKES ADVENTURES • 25
Stakeholder Roles and Responsibilities
Project success requires coordinated, effective contributions
from all stakeholder groups. Each group, in its own way,
is critical to the project’s success.
Originator Identifies an opportunity to make things better
and proposes the idea to someone in the organization. The
originator can hold any position or title within or outside of
the organization.
Sponsor (Senior advocate and liaison) Helps guide intended
outcomes, makes the case for resources and funding, and
orchestrates the project’s fit with the organization’s needs and
priorities.
Project leader Insures project success (as defined in the
project charter). They should be involved from the earliest
phases of initiation. They are directly responsible for planning,
execution, and closure. Their level of authority should
be established by the project sponsor and upper management.
Core team Provides the bulk of the expertise and produces
most deliverables. They are responsible for accurate estimates,
timely deliverables, authentic participation, and for holding
themselves accountable to the team’s success. Best practice
involves these team members early. Giving the team a voice in
planning deepens their commitment to the project.
Extended team Essential participants with little involvement
during execution: budget approvers, technical specifiers,
quality control, data providers, vendors, specialty skill providers,
and others.