3. Identify and Make Proper Use of Executive-Level Champions In larger corporations, an important role emerges in Phase Two: the executive-level champion. Different from a coach and also distinct from the role of the executive sponsor in Phase One (who is required to be intimately involved with the program on a day-to-day level), the executive-level champion’s primary function is to clear obstacles that crop up for teams as the lean way of working spreads. But rather than one-off exceptions, these interactions are more systemic and proactive.
