Executive sponsorship is critical to the success of a project because these leaders champion the project and drive adoption within the organization. An executive sponsor advocates for the initiative, communicates its importance, and supports change management efforts. Their involvement helps align the project with strategic objectives, ensures necessary resources, and reinforces the value of the new process or system to the sales team, which can significantly improve user adoption. For more on the importance of executive sponsorship, refer to: Salesforce Change Management Strategies.