Leading Districts Through Software Migrations: A Closer Look at Executive Sponsors

Did you know? District migrations with good leadership are three times more likely to succeed, and those with excellent leadership can be seven times as likely.

Software migrations aren’t easy. They’re a whole-district effort that welcomes challenge and change. They often put a team’s ability to work together, overcome obstacles, and face the unknown to the test, none of which would be possible without strong leadership.

For each SMS to Qmlativ migration districts walk through with Skyward, we ask them to appoint an executive sponsor who will serve as the team’s guiding North star. With strong support and resources from Skyward, the executive sponsor doesn’t just oversee the daily migration operations. They are the thread that holds the team together as they pioneer change.

What is an executive sponsor?

To put it broadly, executive sponsors are ambassadors of change for their district. With significant influence and oversight, they have the opportunity to set the tone for their district’s migration. Whether it be finding new ways to communicate, engage, motivate, or guide their team, their ability to lead and communicate is key.

Day-to-day, executive sponsors communicate consistently with staff, touch base and collaborate with the district migration project manager, and establish trust and reasoning for the change. District migrations put strain on staff at all levels. It doesn’t just involve IT staff moving data from one platform to another, but for everyone to learn an entirely new platform that’s central to district operations. It’s up to executive sponsors to help staff see the value of the change months down the line while keeping them optimistic about the steps they’re taking today.

How can executive sponsors influence team culture with effective leadership?

Effective leaders don’t just set and enforce deadlines. They know how to influence the team’s organization, mindset, and momentum. When things start to get off track or doubt starts creeping in, they orient the team in the right direction.

For each of our executive sponsors, Skyward has gathered a few resources to help. Among those is the spectrum of supports, outlining a few practices that help strengthen a team.

Here’s how executive sponsors can establish a strong support system early on:

• Credibility – Establish trust and legitimacy for the change
• Commitment – Participate regularly in staff support and communications
• Benefits – Ensure the intended benefits of the migration are achieved
• Resources – Authorize necessary funding and resources to support the migration
• Oversight – Provide high-level oversight and have significant influence

Beyond the spectrum of supports, executive sponsors can lean on the ABCs of effective leadership: Active and Visible, Build a Coalition, and Communicate.

What do these really mean? To be active and visible, an executive sponsor must be present and accessible to their team so they can offer support, observe dynamics, and ensure timelines are met. To build a coalition, they need to foster a culture of trust and teamwork. And lastly, they must communicate consistently, trying new approaches to meet all members of their team.

The importance of an executive sponsor

It can be difficult for individual staff to see the full scope of a district migration, especially when their tasks are centered around smaller, daily changes. That’s why the executive sponsor’s leadership is so valuable. They have a level of oversight not just on operations, but also over team dynamics, that can be mobilized for good.

Teams don’t just need deadlines written on paper. They need motivation, reason, and a purpose for change. When team morale starts to crumble or pessimism starts seeping in, staff will turn to their executive sponsor to seek assurance, guidance, and justification. The executive sponsor, in turn, helps the team see the value, stay optimistic, and cultivates belief in the change.

Change is rarely easy, but it’s often rewarding. Check out a few Skyward resources to ease your district’s transition to something new...

• Change Management for K12 Districts
• Queasy or Easy: The Effect of Change on Your Team's Productivity