Buy-In, Kotter & Whitehead - Saving your good idea from getting shot down

When was the last time you had an idea at work? And how was the experience of sharing it with others, working hard to iron out the wrinkles and then hearing the dreaded line "To get this rolling, we have to get buy-in from our other stakeholders"?

Getting buy-in is a reality you cannot get around - and just like the Greeks spent a lot of time studying the different types of arguments and fallacies, (you can read Aristotle's Sophistical Refutations, here), the authors of this book have studied and laid out the different ways an idea is usually murdered.

There are four main ways:

1. Fear mongering
2. Death by delay
3. Creating Confusion
4. Ridicule / Character Assassination

Anyone whose been part of meetings and deliberations where an idea or decision or alternative or solution or proposal is being discussed, is familiar with these different ways by which the idea can be shot down. These ways are a problem. What is not a problem, is a constructive discussion intended towards making progress.

As we near the end of the first quarter of the New Year, think back and recall, were you a perpetrator or a victim of 'idea-killing' using one of the following modus operandi:

It wouldn't be right to close without sharing a couple of points on how best to to go about getting buy-in. These may seem obvious, but sometimes it's just best to keep things simple:

1. Gain people's attention - this means everyone's even if it means inviting attackers, and providing them an opportunity to attack
2. Win the minds of the relevant, attentive audience with simple, clear, sensible responses
3. Win their hearts using a fool-proof way - show respect. To one and all
4. Monitor everyone in the audience, not only your cheerleaders and your detractors
5. Prepare in advance. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst

Keep these attacks and defenses in mind, whether you're presenting an idea, or part of an audience hearing about an idea. Be honest and introspect on why you're responding in the way you do. As with any tool, these methods of attack can be used for both good, or bad. For instance when you'd be tempted to adopt this method to pitch your own idea, and bring down another one. Resist the temptation, and compete on merit.

As, Drucker said, 'Culture eats Strategy for breakfast'. What kind of culture do you want to drive in your organization - the kind that encourages people to share good ideas, seeing that they make a difference or an environment where people stop thinking, innovating and speaking up about how they feel things can be done better?

Have a beautiful week ahead!