You're facing resistance from stakeholders on a strategic direction change. How can you win their support?

Communicate the Vision Clearly: Articulate the benefits and rationale behind the strategic change. Use data and evidence to demonstrate how the new direction aligns with the organization's goals and can address current challenges effectively, including long-term impacts. Involve Stakeholders Early: Engage stakeholders in the planning process to gather their input and address concerns. By involving them early, you build ownership and ensure their perspectives are considered, increasing buy-in and trust. Show Quick Wins and Benefits: Implement the change in phases and highlight early successes to build momentum. Demonstrating tangible benefits and positive outcomes can help convert skeptics and reinforce the value of the new direction.

When facing resistance, I first prioritize understanding stakeholders' concerns. In one instance, I scheduled 1:1 meetings to address their hesitations about a new HR process improvement. By listening and acknowledging their worries, I gained valuable insights, allowing me to adjust my approach and provide tailored solutions that aligned the project goals with their expectations.

-Be a role model: Fact base persuasion with competitive mindset which will bring the win-win situation -Engage others: It's important to engage others. Listening to your team members' opinions, thoughts and ideas can have many benefits. -Break down the change: Instead of implementing a change overnight, it's important to introduce it in several stages. -Set guidelines: Try to stay as transparent as possible and outlining the employer's expectations. This is one of the easier ways to ensure everyone knows how to comply with the guidelines and allows time to prepare for the transition in advance. -Nurture relationships in the workplace: Successfully transitioning to new processes at work requires excellent teamwork.

You should not PURSUE your stakeholders with FACTS instead you need to PRIME them up to SHIFT towards change little by little every day. The KEY here is to make them FEEL heard and SHOW the STRATEGIC SHIFT is going to be more HELFPUL than hurting them in addressing their current problems.

actively listening during meetings and personal conversations, which not only shows respect for their perspectives but also helps build a foundation of trust. It’s important to acknowledge and validate their fears about the changes rather than dismiss them outright. This approach signals that you value their input, making them feel heard and respected. When stakeholders see that their concerns are taken seriously, they become more receptive to the proposed strategic direction, facilitating a smoother transition and stronger collaboration.

You should NOT DROP THE BOMB on one fine morning and EXPECT them to ACCEPT your strategic change without resistance. Be LOW-CONTEXT and DIRECT and PRIME them up slowly with the ineffectiveness of current process to SOLVE their PROBLEMS and SHOW FEASIBILITY PROTOTYPES of your strategic shift and help them understand how this could be MORE EFFECTIVE. Getting a BUY-IN after 2 weeks or 4 weeks is GOOD than getting DISMISSED in your FIRST MEETING.

To overcome resistance, I ensure stakeholders feel involved in decision-making. During a major recruitment strategy shift, I invited key team members to join working groups. By giving them ownership in shaping the process, their initial hesitation transformed into enthusiastic participation, and the collective buy-in helped achieve a smoother transition and greater overall commitment.

Once you've PRIMED them up, SHOWED feasibility prototype, then providing CASE STUDIES from other companies does the MAGIC in having your STAKEHOLDERS push the button of "APPROVAL" with your strategic shift. The MAGIC will be even more effective if you can get the CASE STUDIES from your industry COMPETITORS and back your stakeholders with more profitability than your competitors.

It's crucial to understand that offering assurance is key to gaining stakeholder trust and support. Start by sharing examples of successful strategic changes, whether from within your organization or from other companies, to demonstrate that the proposed direction has yielded positive outcomes elsewhere. This evidence can help build confidence in the changes being proposed. Additionally, it’s important to reassure stakeholders that they will not be navigating these changes alone; providing information about available support structures, such as training programs or additional resources, can significantly ease any concerns. By addressing these aspects, you can foster a sense of security and cooperation during times of transition.

These are the KEY people in this current day 'n age - these influencers can serve as change champions, using their credibility and positive experiences to persuade others. When respected voices endorse the new direction, it often leads to greater acceptance among other stakeholders. Their support can create a powerful ripple effect, encouraging broader buy-in across the organization. Leveraging these influential advocates is a strategic way to facilitate smoother transitions and foster a collective embrace of new initiatives.

Having to KNOW the people who is of DECISION-MAKING authority in your organization is highly important. The KEY here is to INFLUENCE the DECISION MAKERS with what you BELIEVE than the EFFICIENCY/PRODUCTIVITY you can show. To BUILD A STRONG FIRST IMPRESSION, follow the below structure with your strategic shift: Tell what you believe -> Show how you will do it -> Put the facts associated with this.

Sustaining progress amid resistance requires constant engagement. In a project involving organizational change, I kept the team motivated by celebrating small wins and continuously updating them on progress. I also ensured consistent communication to prevent loss of focus. This approach helped us maintain energy and drive, eventually leading to successful project completion despite initial pushback.

Getting the "APPROVAL" from your STAKEHOLDERS is a ONE-TIME WIN and you'll lose your CREDIBILITY if you don't MAKE THEM FEEL SAFE with your progress. It HURTS more to have your CREDIBILITY LOST than not having any. Getting a BUY-IN is LONG-TERM and keep your STAKEHOLDERS informed and in the loop. You making them FEEL SAFE enables you to PIVOT direction yet again and STAKEHOLDERS will still support you.