How to Keep Your Community Sponsors Happy in Your Product Community of Practice

What’s the secret sauce for a thriving product Community of Practice (CoP)? While there are many ingredients in the recipe—which can include things like clear guidelines and regular rituals—one of the most critical ones is the sponsor. Like the customer who orders a dish (and pays for it) in the restaurant, the sponsor provides the reason for a community to exist and supplies the resources for it to be successful. 

Sponsors can have all kinds of roles within your organization, including everything from line manager or HR person to CPO, Head of Product, or other senior exec. Their job title doesn’t really matter. What defines them as a sponsor is the fact that they have the power and influence to enable your community’s activities and growth.

Generally, sponsors support your CoP by giving you time. They make it possible for everyone to participate and organize CoP events during working hours. And in some cases, they may also be the ones to grant you budget for organizing trainings, book clubs, or even bringing in external speakers.

If you’re a CoP participant—especially one who volunteers to run and facilitate community events—you need to keep sponsors engaged and satisfied with the community’s progress and impact. Otherwise, you risk losing the sponsorship and support that’s critical to your community’s continued existence.

So how do you nurture these critical relationships with your CoP’s sponsors so you can continue or expand the work you’re doing with your CoP? Here are some guidelines I’ve gathered based on my observations and experience.

Start by recognizing your sponsor’s goals

Why has your sponsor chosen to support your CoP? Understanding the motivation behind their involvement can help ensure your activities are aligned.

Sponsors invest in CoPs for various reasons, most of which revolve around enhancing the organization's overall product management capabilities. They look for tangible outcomes like improved best practices, enhanced team collaboration, and more efficient onboarding processes. Sponsors also value the creation of a space where team members can express their challenges and collaborate on innovative solutions.

If you’re not sure about your sponsor’s specific motivations, don’t be afraid to ask! The next time you have a check-in with them, you might say something like, “We really appreciate your support of our community and I want to make sure we’re aligned. Could you share a few examples of the outcomes you’re hoping to see or goals you’d like us to achieve as a community?”

1. Demonstrate visible impact

One of the most powerful things you can do is showcase the direct benefits of the CoP to the product management process. You can achieve this through case studies, success stories, or presentations that highlight how specific CoP activities have led to improved practices, solved challenges, or enhanced the team's capabilities. 

For instance, if a CoP session led to a more effective way of collaborating with the legal team, document this success and share it with your sponsors. 

Or here’s another example I’ve seen firsthand: When a CoP is set up well, it lightens the load for people in product leadership roles. We often see this with new team member onboarding. In organizations without a CoP or who aren’t investing much in their CoP, onboarding is 100% the product leader’s responsibility. But when you have a strong CoP that creates repeatable processes for onboarding new members, it can take on as much as 80% of the onboarding tasks, making a significant impact on the product leader’s calendar. (I wouldn’t recommend giving 100% of the onboarding responsibilities to the CoP because there are some tasks like setting expectations that are best left to the leader). 

2. Align with organizational goals

Whenever possible, ensure that the CoP's activities and outcomes align with the broader goals of your organization. Sponsors are more likely to continue their support if they see the CoP contributing to the company's overall objectives, such as improving product quality, increasing market reach, or fostering innovation. Make sure you document specific examples and success stories whenever they occur.

3. Foster personal development

Most sponsors are especially interested in the personal development of CoP team members. Highlight how the CoP contributes to this through mentoring, knowledge sharing, and professional growth opportunities. This could involve showcasing individual stories of growth and development within the CoP.

4. Communicate regularly and transparently

Maintain an open line of communication with your sponsors. Regular updates on CoP activities, challenges, and successes help build trust and show sponsors that their support is valued and effectively utilized. This could be in the form of monthly newsletters, quarterly reports, or regular briefings.

5. Encourage sponsor involvement

Involve sponsors directly in some of your CoP’s activities. This could range from inviting them to attend sessions, provide input on topics, or even lead a workshop or discussion. Direct involvement gives sponsors a firsthand view of your CoP’s value and helps them feel more connected to your success.

6. Seek feedback and adapt

Actively seek feedback from your sponsors on the CoP's activities and direction. Be open to their suggestions and ready to adapt based on their input. This not only improves the CoP but also shows sponsors that their opinions are valued and taken seriously.

7. Celebrate successes together

Make it a point to celebrate the successes and milestones of the CoP with your sponsors. This could be through formal recognition events, informal gatherings, or simply acknowledging their support in community communications. Celebrating successes together strengthens the bond between the CoP and your sponsors.

Final thoughts and takeaways

Our work in product often involves coordinating with stakeholders, and running a product CoP is no different. Think of your sponsor as a stakeholder who needs regular communication and updates on your progress. 

As you learn more about their specific motivation and objectives, you can adapt your communication to ensure you’re sharing the most relevant information and asking for their input in the most impactful ways. Taking this approach will help you maintain strong, supportive relationships with your sponsors, so your CoP can continue to grow and thrive.

If you’re interested in this topic, there’s much more to explore in my book, STRONG Product Communities. Grab your copy today!