Sponsorship as Leadership

In government transformation, the sponsorship role of Ministers and Deputy Ministers (DMs) cannot be overstated. Their commitment—or lack of it—determines whether reforms flourish or falter. As senior sponsors, they are the visible champions of change, shaping political legitimacy, allocating resources, and signaling organizational priorities (Kotter, 2012).

Yet this role is paradoxical. Ministers face public pressure for fast results; Deputies must preserve institutional integrity while enabling reform. Together, they must drive transformation with urgency while guarding the patience required for cultural adoption.

We explore how Ministers and DMs can serve as effective sponsors of transformation, reconciling political speed with institutional depth.

Sponsorship in the Political-Administrative Partnership

The Canadian system rests on a partnership between elected Ministers and non-partisan DMs. Sponsorship plays out differently for each:

• Ministers bring democratic legitimacy. They articulate vision, secure political capital, and use urgency to energize reform agendas (Savoie, 2008).
• Deputy Ministers provide administrative continuity. They navigate central agencies, ensure legal compliance, and cultivate patience to sustain reform through electoral cycles.

The interplay between political urgency and bureaucratic patience is the sponsorship paradox. If managed well, it produces durable change; if mishandled, it results in either rushed programs or stagnated initiatives.

Why Sponsorship Matters

Transformation fails most often not because of technical design but because of weak or inconsistent sponsorship. Research on public administration shows that visible and engaged leadership from the top:

• Signals that transformation is non-negotiable (Heifetz, Grashow, & Linsky, 2009).
• Secures resources and authorizations from central agencies.
• Builds legitimacy that cascades through ADMs, DGs, and Directors.

Without sponsorship, reforms get treated as “side projects” vulnerable to shifting political winds.

The Minister’s Role in Urgency

Ministers wield urgency through their political authority:

• Setting the agenda: Identifying priority files for transformation.
• Communicating vision: Framing change in terms of citizen benefits, not bureaucratic mechanics.
• Applying pressure: Using speeches, mandates, and deadlines to mobilize the system.

Urgency can be an asset when it galvanizes attention. But without balance, it risks overwhelming bureaucratic capacity, creating compliance without commitment.

The Deputy’s Role in Patience

DMs, by contrast, embody patience:

• Institutional stewardship: Ensuring reforms respect legislation, policies, and the non-partisan character of the public service.
• Capacity protection: Guarding staff from burnout by sequencing change.
• Continuity: Sustaining transformation across election cycles and cabinet shuffles.

Patience can slow down political momentum, but it is essential for embedding reforms that survive beyond a single mandate.

Ministers and Deputies as Sponsorship Partners

When Ministers and DMs act in concert, they become sponsorship partners who reconcile urgency and patience. Their partnership involves:

1. Shared Vision Alignment
   The Minister defines the “why” (political imperative), while the DM defines the “how” (institutional execution). Alignment prevents disconnection between political messaging and bureaucratic capacity.
2. Unified Signaling
   Visible unity between Minister and DM builds confidence throughout the department. Staff see that urgency and patience are not in conflict but complementary.
3. Mutual Protection
   The DM shields the Minister from operational detail overload. The Minister shields the DM from political volatility by reinforcing long-term commitments.

Practical Strategies for Sponsorship Success

How can Ministers and Deputies strengthen their sponsorship role?

1. Visible Commitment

Transformation requires sponsors who show up—launching initiatives, attending milestone events, and being accessible to senior managers. Sponsorship is not a one-time endorsement but an ongoing presence (Kotter, 2012).

2. Dual-Speed Communication

Ministers emphasize urgency in public messaging. Deputies reinforce patience in internal messaging. Together, they create coherence: urgency for citizens, patience for staff.

3. Resource Stewardship

Sponsorship means ensuring that reforms are resourced adequately. Ministers advocate at Cabinet and Treasury Board; DMs allocate budgets and people strategically.

4. Governance as a Sponsorship Tool

Ministers and DMs can use governance structures (steering committees, performance boards) to balance urgency and patience. Visible oversight signals seriousness, while structured pacing prevents chaos.

5. Adaptive Framing

By framing setbacks as learning opportunities, sponsors model patience while preserving urgency. Ministers can speak of “pilots” and “phases” rather than failures. DMs can embed evaluation cycles that normalize adaptation.

Case Example: Sponsorship in Digital Transformation

A Minister committed to modernizing service delivery wanted quick wins before the next election. The DM, recognizing institutional limitations, advised sequencing reforms:

• Urgency: The Minister announced a pilot digital portal to demonstrate momentum.
• Patience: The DM implemented parallel investments in staff training, IT infrastructure, and privacy safeguards.

The sponsorship partnership allowed the initiative to meet political deadlines while laying foundations for longer-term reform. The dual narrative—immediate delivery and sustainable modernization—built trust with both citizens and staff.

Risks of Sponsorship Imbalance

• If urgency dominates (Minister-led imbalance):
  • Staff burn out.
  • Short-term optics overshadow systemic reform.
  • Failures erode public confidence.
• If patience dominates (Deputy-led imbalance):
  • Ministers perceive inertia.
  • Political capital is wasted.
  • Transformation loses visibility and dies quietly.

Effective sponsorship lives in the balance.

The Human Dimension of Sponsorship

Transformation is not just policy or process—it is people. Ministers and DMs must lead not only with authority but with empathy:

• Acknowledging staff concerns about pace and workload.
• Modeling resilience by demonstrating calm under pressure.
• Celebrating progress at both political and administrative levels.

Leadership research underscores that sponsors who combine authority with emotional intelligence are more effective in sustaining transformation (Goleman, 2013).

The Role of External Facilitation

Ministers and DMs can strengthen their sponsorship through external support:

• Independent facilitation ensures structured transformation journeys.
• Leadership coaching equips sponsors to navigate paradoxes of urgency and patience.
• Frameworks and tools bring clarity, preventing transformation from devolving into reactive management.

External support does not diminish leadership—it enhances sponsorship credibility by grounding it in proven practices.

Conclusion: Sponsorship as Balance

Ministers and Deputies are the ultimate sponsors of transformation. Their partnership reconciles urgency and patience, aligning political imperatives with institutional capacity.

When they lead visibly, communicate consistently, and model balance, they create the conditions for transformation to succeed—not as a sprint or a delay, but as a disciplined, sustainable journey.

Effective sponsorship is not about choosing urgency or patience. It is about embodying both, in partnership, so that transformation is both credible and enduring.

What’s Next?

Institute X works with Ministers and Deputies to strengthen their sponsorship role—offering facilitation, coaching, and frameworks that help leaders balance urgency with patience and drive transformation that lasts.

References

• Goleman, D. (2013). Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence. HarperCollins.
• Heifetz, R. A., Grashow, A., & Linsky, M. (2009). The Practice of Adaptive Leadership. Harvard Business Review Press.
• Kotter, J. (2012). Leading Change. Harvard Business Review Press.
• Savoie, D. J. (2008). Court Government and the Collapse of Accountability in Canada and the United Kingdom. University of Toronto Press.