The Secret to Stakeholder Buy-in
Vanessa Judelman
Author. Leadership Coach. Executive Leadership Advisor. Leadership Trainer. President at Mosaic People Development
Welcome back to our change management series!?
Last week, I started a three-part series to guide you through the critical strategies of successful change management.
We've covered?the foundation of change communication, and now we're tackling what might be the most critical piece: stakeholder buy-in.
I have often seen brilliant change initiatives fail because the CEO may have approved it, but the department heads weren't on board.
Let's break down the stakeholder buy-in process that actually works:
First, start at the top.?
You’ll need your senior stakeholder or CEO's genuine support.??
Share your vision, the expected impact, and, most importantly, the path to get there.
Next, present your change plan to your peers.
Your fellow leaders can make or break your change initiative.?
?Don't just present to them - engage them.?
Help them see what’s in it for them and their teams (we call this the WIIFM – What’s In It For Me).
Remember:
The goal is to turn stakeholders into champions.
When they feel ownership of the change, they’ll drive it forward with their teams.
Stay tuned for the final critical change management strategy coming your way next week!
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Simplifying the World of Project Management & All Things Project.
3 周Great post Vanessa Judelman! I completely agree that stakeholder buy-in is crucial for successful change management. It's not enough for stakeholders to simply approve the change, they need to feel invested in it and see the benefits for themselves. Ready to dive deeper? Subscribe to my newsletter for more insights! https://www.dhirubhai.net/newsletters/project-success-strategies-7049091445839806464/ #whizible
From "Oh shit" to "I got this" - The Manager Coach I Manager Development Facilitator | Workshops I Human Design Reader | Empowering 21st century managers to confidently deliver results. Loves dogs & MUDwrt
1 个月Genuine connections always outweigh the alternative.
Change Manager & Agile Coach Expert en adoption du changement Passez rapidement de la planification à l'action
1 个月Vanessa Judelman Your observation is correct. I have also noticed many change initiatives fail despite the CEO's approval. The top-down approach is indeed necessary at first. However, I would like to add a crucial nuance: we must distinguish between adoption and engagement. Adoption is a passive act: "I acknowledge the change." I know I need to change. Engagement is active: "I embrace this change." I want to change. Why is this distinction important? 1. Adoption without engagement creates: - Silent resistance - Unintentional sabotage - Cosmetic change Engagement requires: - Deep understanding - Personally perceived benefit (WIIFM) - Positive projection The goal is not just to inform, but to transform each stakeholder into a champion of change who is engaged.