Sponsor Coaching That Actually Works: Visibility That Moves Adoption

Sponsor Coaching That Actually Works: Visibility That Moves Adoption

In today’s future of work, sponsor visibility isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s one of the fastest ways to accelerate adoption. The problem is that many sponsors want to help but aren’t sure what “showing up” looks like beyond a kickoff message. This session equips change professionals to coach sponsors into visible, credible leadership actions that build trust and reduce mixed messages. April Callis-Birchmeier (PMP, CCMP, MCMP) shares what effective sponsors do differently, and how to create a simple cadence of sponsor actions that moves people from “I heard about it” to “I’m doing it.”

Learning objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Identify the sponsor behaviors that most directly influence trust, alignment, and adoption.
• Use practical adoption signals to assess the level of sponsor visibility and adjust coaching accordingly.
• Create a sponsor visibility plan and communication kit with clear actions, key messages, and a simple story framework that drives adoption.

Presenter Bio:

April Callis-Birchmeier is a globally recognized change management expert and bestselling author, celebrated for her influential work in organizational culture and change. Honored with the 2024 Change Awards - Lifetime Achievement Award and named a Global Guru in Organizational Culture from 2020 - 2025, April leads complex transformations and has taught thousands of professionals how to lead change effectively.

As the CEO of Springboard Consulting, April specializes in preparing project, change, and HR professionals to lead successful change initiatives. Her READY framework, showcased in her bestselling book "READY, Set, Change! Simplify and Accelerate Organizational Change” has become an essential guide for teams navigating change. Through practical tools and actionable insights, April's work simplifies change processes, fostering collaborative cultures and driving effective transformations.

April’s certifications, Certified Change Management Professional (CCMP™), Master Change Management Professional (MCMP™), Project Management Professional (PMP®), and Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) underscore her expertise and dedication to excellence. As a taskforce leader/contributor of the global Standard for Change Management, a Qualified Education Provider for the Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP), Founding President of the ACMP Michigan Chapter, she also creates PMI Training courses which highlight her impact on the profession.

This event qualifies for 1 PDU for the Certified Change Management Professional (CCMP) Certification.