The project sponsor/executive/director is essential for any project, as this person is in charge and ultimately accountable for its success (or lack thereof). However, he or she is rarely trained in project management; rather they are likely to be a general manager or senior executive. Michiel van der Molen seeks to help these accidental project overseers understand their role and responsibilities, guiding them to proactively take control of the project. 

The book is written in line with the PMI's Lexicon of Project Management Terms, and van der Molen includes tips for people working in Prince2 and Agile environments specifically, but predominantly concentrates on universal principles, making the book applicable to any operating environment. 

Translated from a best-selling Dutch text, Successful Project Sponsorship begins by setting out four key principles: sharing, organization, focus, and empowerment. The book then goes on to provide answers to situations including:

• How to create a successful strategy
• How to keep a project under control when the requirements are changing
• What to do to keep a project on budget
• How to recognize a good project manager - and how to deal with an out-of-control one
• How to judge the quality of a business case/plan/progress report