Let’s face it: we all need buy-in. At work, we need it to get project funding, to obtain an investment in some new technology, and to receive approval from our peers. We need it a home, too—to get the family to stop arguing, to agree on a place for dinner, or to get a child to clean up her room. But what does getting buy-in really mean?
Its one-third based on past success, one-third based upon what decision is being made, and one-third based on who you know (with a touch of persuasion). Any Internet search will give you tips on how to get buy-in, but that won’t give you its core meaning. There is more there: something deeper.
APQC has started to examine this notion with an upcoming study called “What Does Getting Buy-In Really Mean?” We have started by enlisting our members to hear some Voice of Customer (VOC) suggestions. When it comes to getting buy-in, several ideas came to mind.
- You have to understand what you are trying to achieve (start with the end in mind).
- Executive sponsorship and their understanding of how to explain and model the behavior is priceless.
- Process workshops are great—but make sure that when you are dissecting a process, “attack the process, not the person.”
Others members we spoke with want to know:
- What are the different methods used to implement a change?
- How do you get consistency?
- Is there a metric that could be created around buy-in that would allow some sort of pre-judgment assessment?
APQC would really like to hear from you, too. Let us know what getting buy-in means to you, and what else you would like to learn from this study.