Succeeding with Senior Management

It’s all about communicating up.

Senior managers speak the language of strategy. Project managers use the language of tasks and activities. While they rely on each other to achieve their goals, this core incompatibility leads to communication breakdowns and project setbacks.

Succeeding with Senior Management explains how to bridge the gap and engage the upper ranks. By thinking like an executive, establishing relationships early on, and keeping them informed about progress, project managers win the support they need—especially critical when problems arise.

Using simple language and stories that explain the concepts, this one-of-a-kind communications guide teaches how to:

• Link the project to the business


• Develop a case for change with an executive sponsor


• Use the right listening style


• Prepare the senior executive or sponsor for taking a key role


• Provide options and recommendations for major decisions


• Involve the sponsor in resolving cross-functional problems


• Navigate the company’s political waters

Many senior executives will set a project in motion and then move on. Learn how to keep them involved, motivated to push obstacles aside, and focused on a successful conclusion. Your career prospects depend on it.