When Your Project Business Owner Becomes the Biggest Risk

Sarah Verity
Jul 17
4 min read

So, what happens when the person you counted on as your champion—your supporter, advocate, and key decision-maker—turns out to be your biggest risk?

Many of us in delivery roles have wrestled with one or two difficult stakeholders who threaten our projects. But it’s far less common —and far more unsettling—when that threat comes from your own project business owner.

Scott Adams published this comic in 1997, but some things remain a truism from our working observations that serve so well as observational humour, just to get us through!

I recently encountered two starkly different business owners: one whose double-speak and lack of capability and bandwidth undermined the role (wrong person / right seat), juxtaposed against another who embodied and who consistently demonstrated the right behaviours and skills (right person/ right seat). Those opposing experiences challenge us to lean on our values, sharpen our integrity, expand our delivery toolkit—and most importantly, remind us that the real gift of every project lies in pausing to reflect on what we’ve learned.

As a program delivery manager, you’re charged with navigating complex initiatives through shifting requirements, tight timelines, and intricate stakeholder landscapes. Yet sometimes the person tasked with championing the project—your business owner—turns out to be its greatest obstacle. When they lack the drive, capability, capacity, or accountability for their role, the project stalls and frustration mounts.

Escalating this risk can feel perilous in a hierarchical, command-and-control culture. This article explores when to hold back, how to escalate effectively, what happens if tactics fail, and how organisational memory can shield your integrity.

Recognising the Misalignment

A misaligned project business owner typically:

Fails to articulate a clear vision or rally stakeholders.
Doesn’t free up time to make timely decisions.
Avoids taking ownership of outcomes and holding peers accountable.
Delegates indiscriminately, causing confusion and rework.

When these signs emerge, you know the “right seat” is occupied by the wrong person, but hierarchy may shield them from honest feedback.

The Art of Strategic Restraint

Strategic restraint isn’t silence—it’s choosing the optimal moment and framing:

Launch one-on-one coaching or mentoring to build a partnership.
Align on shared success metrics before sharing concerns publicly.
Compile specific examples of delays or indecision to substantiate future escalation.
Identify and brief potential allies who can back your observations.

This approach lets you address gaps discreetly, boosting the chance of genuine realignment.

Measured Escalation: Timing and Tactics

When collaboration stalls, follow a phased escalation path:

Document concrete instances of missed decisions, change-requests piling up, or workarounds in use.
Update your risk log with quantified impacts (cost variance, timeline slippage).
Present findings in governance forums using neutral language: “We’ve observed…” rather than “You haven’t….”
Engage the business owner’s manager or executive sponsor with a simple ask: “How can we secure timely approvals to meet compliance deadlines?”
Offer structured remediation: co-ownership models, deputising a subject-matter expert, or temporarily reallocating duties.

Potential Outcomes

Scenario	Consequences	Mitigation Strategies
Continued Silence / Avoidance	− Budget overruns − Team burnout	− Anonymous feedback channels − Peer coaching
Early Informal Escalation	− Short-term tension − Defensive reactions	− Data-backed dashboards − Neutral facilitation
Structured Formal Escalation	− Executive scrutiny − Possible role reshuffle	− Clear RACI adjustments − Deputy appointments
Tactics Fail & PDM Removed	− Compliance work delayed − Risk remains entrenched − Governance credibility hit	− Independent audit recommendation − External facilitator engagement − Sponsor-led ownership reset

When Tactics Fail: Unintended Consequences

Despite your best efforts, sometimes the business owner leverages hierarchy to push back. They may appeal directly to the project sponsor, leading to the removal of the program delivery manager (PDM) instead of themselves.

This outcome:

Kicks the problem down the road for the next PDM.
Delays critical compliance deliverables—exposing the organisation to regulatory penalties.
Damages team morale and trust in governance structures.
Signals to others that hierarchical position shields poor performance.

Validating Your Experience with Organisational Memory

When a project business owner is a “known” problem—perhaps others have confided in you that they, too have worked with that individual, that they have exhibited the same gaps on previous initiatives, or in operational business —you can draw on institutional memory to strengthen your case, and help validate your introspection:

Gather anecdotal evidence and testimonials from peers who’ve worked with them before.
Reference past project reviews or audit findings that highlight similar issues.
Invite respected stakeholders to corroborate your observations in governance forums.

These endorsements validate your concerns and ensure that, even if you’re removed, your professional integrity remains intact and your reputation among decision-makers, and those whose opinion you value, stays high.

Navigating the Fallout

If you’re sidelined or witness a colleague’s exit under these circumstances:

Preserve detailed records of communications, decisions, and risk logs as part of the project archive.
Rally fellow program managers to raise systemic governance issues collectively.
Propose an independent audit or retrospective that focuses on capability gaps, not personal blame.
Advocate for a sponsor-led ownership reset workshop to clearly redefine roles, accountabilities, and escalation protocols.

In Conclusion

Addressing a misaligned project business owner demands empathy, diplomacy, and, when necessary, resolute escalation. By starting with partnership, substantiating concerns with data, and proposing clear solutions, you maximise the chance of realignment.

And when even that fails, which it can do despite all best efforts, then by leveraging organisational memory and peer validation preserves your integrity and reputation—turning a political setback into a testament to your professionalism will help to support your sanity and your awareness for any future ‘flags’ and know when you do really have good project business owner!

Beyond the Playbook: Next-Level Strategies for your Tool-Box.

Leverage stakeholder influence mapping to uncover hidden advocates.
Ensure a PMO framework that supports and Institutionalises project artefacts such as charters with clearly defined RACI frameworks to spotlight gaps before they escalate.
For businesses and organisations that value continuous improvement, establish cross-project peer learning circles for business owners to share best practices and foster accountability.

Implementing part of or all of these strategies can help to nurture a culture of continuous feedback and shared ownership, ensuring the right person occupies the right seat next time.

If your organisation’s project needs a business delivery leader with unwavering personal and professional integrity to navigate deliverables, tackle issues, and manage risks, Say Hello! at sarah@sarahverity.me