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\n\t\tOpinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.\t<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re unfamiliar with the term \u201cExecutive Sponsor,\u201d allow me to enlighten you by first sharing what it doesn\u2019t mean. This term isn\u2019t a reference to paid media in exchange for brand exposure, nor does it describe the mentorship provided by an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) support coach. <\/p>\n
In the world of franchise recruitment \u2014 and beyond \u2014 an Executive Sponsor is a senior-level leader within the organization who makes an intentional effort to engage in the pursuit of a goal. But this isn\u2019t to say an Executive Sponsor is a micromanager; far from it. Rather, it\u2019s a role that requires an active commitment to provide the team with the tools, resources and support necessary to ensure success.<\/p>\n
An Executive Sponsor brings strategic alignment to the initiative, removes barriers, obstacles and challenges, oversees the risk management factor and plays an active advocacy role. Their responsibilities range from the tangible, such as managing the allocation of manpower and budgetary constraints, to the intangible, such as explaining the \u201cwhy\u201d behind the stated objective or goal.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s about being present<\/em> \u2014 having the ability to connect the vision with the execution. Executive Sponsors and the initiatives they champion apply to all industries, business channels and sectors. But as you\u2019ll see, this advocacy role has become an increasingly important factor in determining the direction, oversight and eventual success of franchise recruitment campaigns.<\/p>\n Show me a brand that isn\u2019t hitting its recruiting goals, and the first question I\u2019m asking is, who\u2019s leading the charge? If I had to guess, it\u2019s probably the manager in the big corner office who snaps to attention once every quarter and frantically calls for an all-hands-on-deck meeting to review the numbers. And guess what? He\u2019s shocked \u2014 shocked, I tell you \u2014 that the brand once again missed its recruiting goals.<\/p>\n In rapid-fire succession, he\u2019ll go around the table peppering his subordinates with questions about the process, where things broke down and why corrective action wasn\u2019t taken at the time \u2014 usually while maintaining a look of incredulity on his face. Never mind the fact that there were plenty of blinking red lights in the months leading up to this depressing roundtable. He simply wasn\u2019t paying attention as the pipeline dried up and candidates who were once engaged in the process fell by the wayside for one reason or another. <\/p>\n In fact, the only clue he may have had that things weren\u2019t progressing according to plan is the fact that he couldn\u2019t remember the last time his presence was requested for a Discovery Day event. As the meeting winds down, closing out yet another round of whack-a-mole excuses, he\u2019ll retreat down the hallway to the comfort of his cozy corner office and begin working on a new policy directive that attempts to address the shortcomings of the team\u2019s recruiting program. <\/p>\n Of course, he will most certainly fail to mention his own lack of engagement had anything to do with the disappointing results found in the quarterly post-mortem report. Lather, rinse, repeat.<\/p>\n If you\u2019d like to know how to go about being an effective Executive Sponsor for your franchise recruiting team, I have plenty of practical advice to share. To borrow a metaphorical football team analogy, you\u2019re playing the role of Quarterback. There may be 10 other players on the field, but absent your leadership and presence, these teammates can\u2019t execute the coach\u2019s game plan. How you address them in the huddle, providing specific instructions to each player, is where the magic really happens. <\/p>\n You\u2019re telling them when to move, where to move and how to work in concert with one another to move the ball down the field. That takes intentionality<\/em>. Using all the best leadership traits you can muster, you\u2019re actually motivating them, building trust in a unified mission. Is the execution of a complex, comprehensive recruiting program on behalf of a franchise brand really all that different in a head-to-head comparison?<\/p>\n In our discussion thus far, we\u2019ve communicated the main platitudes about the role and function of the Executive Sponsor. But moving beyond words, let\u2019s introduce some actionable advice to the equation \u2014 concrete steps you can take to gauge whether you\u2019re capable of moving the needle in the right direction. Consider the following:<\/p>\n You\u2019ll never become an effective, respectable, and charismatic Executive Sponsor unless you can function as an open, honest and transparent leader. If you can\u2019t be a truth-teller, this role isn\u2019t for you. You can be the slickest sales guy in the world, capable of selling a ketchup popsicle to a woman wearing white gloves, but if you\u2019re not grounded in honesty, you\u2019ll never earn the respect of your sales and development team, nor the candidates you\u2019re recruiting to join your franchisee network. <\/p>\n Being a great leader means being vulnerable, having a human side. Someone people can really relate to, rally behind and follow, wherever the road may lead them.<\/p>\n Starting next week, roll up your sleeves and commit yourself to the difficult work of being an authentic Executive Sponsor. Because there are lots of people counting on you, and I\u2019m one of them.<\/p>\n So, please don\u2019t disappoint us.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n If you\u2019re unfamiliar with the term \u201cExecutive Sponsor,\u201d allow me to enlighten you by first sharing what it doesn\u2019t mean. This term isn\u2019t a reference to paid media in exchange for brand exposure, nor does it describe the mentorship provided by an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) support coach. <\/p>\n In the world of franchise recruitment \u2014 and beyond \u2014 an Executive Sponsor is a senior-level leader within the organization who makes an intentional effort to engage in the pursuit of a goal. But this isn\u2019t to say an Executive Sponsor is a micromanager; far from it. Rather, it\u2019s a role that requires an active commitment to provide the team with the tools, resources and support necessary to ensure success.<\/p>\n An Executive Sponsor brings strategic alignment to the initiative, removes barriers, obstacles and challenges, oversees the risk management factor and plays an active advocacy role. Their responsibilities range from the tangible, such as managing the allocation of manpower and budgetary constraints, to the intangible, such as explaining the \u201cwhy\u201d behind the stated objective or goal.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nWe\u2019ve all met this manager before<\/h2>\n
Actionable advice for the willing<\/h2>\n
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Some final thoughts<\/h2>\n
Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n
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