Getting buy-in to get things done | nicole@web

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses strategies for getting buy-in from people when leading initiatives or proposing changes, particularly in a leadership or engineering role. It covers how to identify signs of buy-in, and provides several strategies for building buy-in, including:

• Explaining the problem and listening to stakeholders
• Explaining the "why" behind the initiative
• Helping clarify trade-offs
• Developing concrete plans together
• Building trust over time

🙋 Q&A

[01] Identifying Signs of Buy-In

1. What are some signals that you might have buy-in from the people you need to work with?

• People are making suggestions on how to improve the plan, even if they initially disagree
• People are giving up or deprioritizing something else as part of agreeing to the initiative
• People have a concrete, detailed plan for how to make the initiative happen
• People push back on parts of the plan, rather than just agreeing without any skepticism

[02] Strategies for Building Buy-In

1. What are some strategies the author recommends for building buy-in?

• Explain the problem and listen to stakeholders to understand their perspectives
• Explain the "why" behind the initiative and the impact it can have
• Help clarify the trade-offs involved, to make it easier for people to commit
• Work together to develop concrete plans for how the initiative will be executed
• Focus on building trust over time through transparency, owning mistakes, and informal interactions