3 Steps to Gaining Buy-in

Gaining buy-in to your ideas from your peers and management is a difficult task. Every person has his or her own job, processes and challenges, so what makes your idea for change worth their time? Why should someone listen to your proposal and agree to dedicate time and funding, or believe in the outcome?

A common mistake is assuming your stakeholders not only see the problem, but also agree it needs to be fixed.  When attempting to propose a solution, most presentations start with the solution itself: "Here is how to make XYZ more efficient!"   But you have yet to establish that XYZ wasn't efficient in the first place, or that there is a measurable value in changing it. This type of presentation often results in pushback from people who rely on the existing process, those who have been doing it for years, or people who are simply averse to change.

One of my favourite analogies is the story of Five Monkeys in a Cage (1:25), which demonstrates how the reasons that processes exist can be lost over time.

Avoiding this problem is key to the continual improvement of the business, and in identifying and closing gaps in process.  The following three steps will help defend against 'That's just how things are done around here.'

Step 1- Establish Agreement

Start with establishing the problem as you see it using facts, figures, and trends.  This should be concise, and clearly state the effect it is having on your efficiency, your team, your company, etc.  The last sentence should be, "Do you agree?"

If the answer is 'No,' or the data you have presented is challenged, there is little reason to continue to present a solution.  All stakeholders must agree there is a problem before you work towards solving it. At this point, more research may be needed, more examination of the data, or more interviews with the stakeholders should take place to fully understand their perspective. It is important to note that the dismissal of your problem is not a personal attack. Several people I have coached believe that they are so obviously correct that they cannot understand why no one understands why their cause is important.  This is the wrong attitude. If you feel there is something worth fixing, the onus is on you to convince the affected stakeholders. Be open to being wrong, accept the feedback you are given, and learn from that perspective to help you towards re-stating your problem or for future initiatives you wish to pursue.

If the answer is 'Yes,' then you have agreement and should start to present your solution.

Step 2 - Present the Solution

This is typically the part about which people are most passionate. It is also why, as stated above, it is often the first thing presented to stakeholders.  However, without the context of Step 1 and an opportunity for them to understand the issue and its impact, your solution will be seen to have less value.

The solution should be presented in a way that allows the stakeholders to see your clear, thought-out path to the outcome you want.  This includes the positive outcomes and the negative impacts of the current process. The biggest mistake in this section is to only talk about the end outcomes, and not about any pain points along the way, or downsides to the outcome.  Every project has some negative impact, and it is important to show that has been considered as part of your solution. For example, you may need to re-train people; that has a time/cost aspect to it.

This section of your presentation should show that the return on the investment is outweighed by the cost of the change itself.  Projections are a great way to illustrate this, as well as charts comparing pros and cons. As part of the projections, use rough timelines of weeks, months, or quarters to illustrate that, if this project is approved, how long it will take to reach certain milestones and when the ROI will be achieved.

Finally, ask for feedback.  Be humble and, as in Step 1, be open to being wrong or having missing perspective. This humility will show you are open to working collaboratively, and that while you believe in your solution, you want to allow other voices to be heard.

Step 3 - The Asks

The final stage of getting buy-in is clearly articulating the asks you are making. Are you asking for time, money, people, travel, executive sponsors, evangelists, etc.?  All projects contain some combination of those or other inputs, and establishing this up front allows you to gain agreement for the right resources. If this is omitted, you now have a situation where you will have to argue for each individual ask because your stakeholders may not have understood their role or outlays in the project. Not gaining agreement upfront could push out your project or present timeline conflicts that were not seen in the original presentation.  

Be as specific as you can with these asks. If you need certain skill sets, certain time zones represented, or other types of participants, it is important that is known ahead of time.  With other projects going on, there may be a need to adjust based on your requirements. Also, ensure some time estimates are roughly in place for your requests. They don't need to be specific, but for a leader assigning people to a project, knowing if you need one day per week or one week per quarter can make a big difference.

A Note on Change Aversion

You may run into someone who just doesn't understand what you are trying to accomplish. Every business has people whose aversion to change trumps any ROI that may be achieved. Use these steps to perfect your project pitch and use the buy-in you have gained to help speak to any people who are against your project. Rarely does a project only have one stakeholder, and rarely does one person have complete veto power.  Always approach this situation with an open mind, and be willing to discuss that person's concerns. Hopefully, through compromise, you will be able to work together.

You were hired to provide value to your organization. Your opinion and insight should be respected and seen as important to the effectiveness of the organization.  By presenting clearer problem statements, thought-out solutions and explicit resource requests, you can show that you are committed to providing that value and are striving to avoid the culture of 'That's just how things are done around here.'