Steering committees often get a bad rap.  Too controlling.  Too
bureaucratic. Too far removed from the real work of getting projects done.  It
happens – but it doesn’t have to be that way.  With (4) easy steps you can
get your steering committee moving in the right direction – to fill essential governance needs
while still allowing the project team to flourish.

What is a Project Steering Committee?

At its core, the “project steering committee” is a “governing
device” used to organize key project stakeholders and empower them
to “steer” a project (or group of projects) to
successful conclusion.

And “steering” is the key word.

Steering is not managing.  Managing gets the job done, but steering
determines what the job is.  We all know
that every
project must be led by an underlying purpose and a vision. 
To deliver required results, that purpose
and vision must be clearly defined, it must be monitored and it must be
maintained.  And that’s the role of the project steering
committee – to deliberate, make decisions, advise, provide strategic
oversight, and to serve as the primary “advocate�? for all the
assigned initiatives.
Steering committee success won’t happen by accident.  You
can pick all the best people to participate, you can all have the
best of intentions, and still not succeed.  So what does it
take to get the results you need?  Actually, it all boils down to four (4)
key actions..

Key #1 You must clearly define the steering committee mission.

Of all the various types of project committees, the steering
committee “mission” is almost a given:  “to steer a single
project (or group of projects) to successful conclusion through
governance related deliberation and decision making”.  (See:
What is Project
Governance?)

That doesn’t mean that every steering committee “mission” is
automatically the same.  Quite the opposite.  While the
generalities may be relatively constant, mission specifics can vary
greatly based on the following key factors:

• Scope.  Will the committee have
  jurisdiction over a single project or group of projects (i.e. a
  project portfolio)? Note:  In the portfolio situation,
  steering committees may very well operate as part of an
  organized
  Project
  Management Office.
• Authority.  Will the committee serve
  as the ultimate authority on “direction” related issues,
  or will the committee serve as an advisior to the ultimate
  decision making authority (i.e
  the project executive or
  sponsor)?
• Degree of Difficulty. What is the
  degree of difficulty in the committee portfolio (i.e the
  projects for which the committee is responsible)?  When the
  committee portfolio contains projects of a
  higher degree of complexity, visibility, sensitivity, cost and
  risk, mission difficulty increases in direct proportion,
  placing greater burdens on the committee members and exposing
  committee operations to increased scrutiny.  Mission
  difficulty goes a long way in determining how a given steering
  committee will be organized, who will be appointed, and how it
  will operate (in order to reach expected results).
• Deliverables.  What will the committee
  produce?  After all,
  that’s the whole point of forming the committee – to produce all the results
  (analysis, decisions, directives and opinions)
  needed to support and “steer” a successful project.

These are the factors that will drive mission specifics. 
But specifics aside, no steering committee can be expected to function properly without a clearly defined
mission.  That’s why setting “the mission” is the first (and
most important) action for committee success.

---

Key #2 You must enshrine the mission in an action-driven “Charter”.

Try throwing a bunch of committee people in a room, call them the Steering Committee, vaguely define their mission and leave
them on their own to figure out what it all means and how to get the
job done.  They might be successful for a while, but sooner or
later, problems will appear.  Perhaps not everyone heard the
same message.  Perhaps people will fight for control. 
Perhaps changing circumstances will throw everyone a curve ball. 
These are the types of risks that diminish productivity and
complicate results.

Fortunately, these risks can be avoided when the mission
(see above) is turned into a roadmap in the form of a
documented “Committee Charter”.  As a roadmap, the Charter
specifies how the committee will be organized and how it will
operate, all from a procedural and process point of view.  This
is a great tool to improve productivity, save time, minimize
conflict and set expectations. 
Read more about committee charters.

---

Key #3 You must organize to promote operational productivity.

Once the mission is defined, and the Charter is approved, it’s
time to get organized (all in accordance with Charter terms and
specifications) .  Steering committees are typically
staffed by key project stakeholders, all with a
measurable interest
and influence in both the project and the committee itself. 

The right mix of people is essential (with diverse interests and
capabilities), but without proper organization, even the best group
may flounder.  Above all, every steering committee needs a
strong leader and clearly defined reporting relationships. 
Every assigned role and responsibility must also be clearly
defined and allocated to set realistic expectations for performance and
participation.

---

Key #4 Focus on collaboration, cooperation and communication.

At the end of the day, steering committees are “just
people” appointed to do a difficult (and often thankless) job. 
That job will be made much easier if the surrounding work
environment is consistently positive, where every voice is
heard, opinions are respected, information is shared, and common
sense prevails.  This is brought about when committee (and
project) leadership acts to promote member
collaboration, cooperation and communication.  Here’s a few
examples:

• Keep committee size as small as possible to facilitate decision making and minimize internal conflicts. 
  If needed, sub-committees can be formed to address specific
  issues that might require different expertise and levels of
  participation.

• Engage the “executing” project managers and team leaders in
  committee discussions and deliberations (to ensure a broader “in
  the field” perspective).

• Establish a working “code of conduct” and enforce it on a consistent basis. 
  Also see:
  Committees, Cooperation and a Working Code of Conduct.

---

CHECK OUT THE PROJECT COMMITTEE TOOLKIT

If you’re looking for a fast, easy way to achieve steering committee success, you’ll find it inside
the Project Committee Toolkit. This unique, informative online course gives you everything you need to become
a committee leader and management expert. Here’s what you’ll learn:

• Learn how to save time and get better results for committee meetings, including agenda development,
  and post meeting actions (minutes preparation and follow-up).

• Learn how to organize your committees for optimal productivity, including defining the mission, setting the structure, selecting members
  and allocating responsibilities.

• Learn how to avoid conflict and promote collaboration through an effective Code of Conduct, member
  onboarding practices, and member performance evaluation.

• Build and improve committee management skills, as you learn time-saving techniques to become a more productive committee leader and project professional.

---

---