6 Keys to Getting Buy-In From Your Team
Photo Credit – Kevin Dooley
Every business and organization involves a team. That team may include employees, vendors, independent contractors, etc. These are the people that have to work together to run your business and deliver your products and services. When you have buy-in from your team for the mission and vision of your company, everyone works together with passion and energy. Your team wants to contribute and will give their best if they are bought in to the mission and vision of the team.
When you don’t have buy-in, the opposite is true. Team members are disgruntled and share those feelings with others. Energy and productivity go down… People pull in different directions and compete for resources… The whole business suffers and no one wants to come to work anymore.
Here are some signs that you don’t have buy-in from the team.
- Team members seem distracted and disengaged from their work.
- Team members don’t follow what you have asked them to do.
- Team members grumble and complain.
- Team members leave.
- Team members only “fulfill their requirements.”
- The team lacks energy and momentum.
As the leader of your business, you are responsible for setting the culture and getting buy-in from your team. No one else can do this for you. Don’t worry, even if you don’t feel like you are a great leader, there are simple things you can do to get buy-in from your team. As you learn these steps your leadership and influence will grow.
6 Keys to Getting Buy-In From Your Team
- Be Aware of the Culture of your Business – Watch and listen so that you are aware when the team is out of alignment.
- Pay attention to the effects of Business Changes on Team Members – Many times business owners make changes without considering the consequences for their team.
- Ask for Input – Create a culture where people can share differing opinions and ideas for the good of the team.
- Listen, Listen, Listen – Give opportunities for you team to discuss ideas, contribute to decisions, and share their feelings. Then, truly take what they have shared into consideration
- Acknowledge Differences – When someone want something different than the decision you make, let them know that you appreciate their position and gave serious consideration to it.
- Ask for Alignment – Once a decision is made, ask each team member if they can align themselves with the decision.
How do you get buy-in from your team?
Share your thoughts in the comments below
- Brian
I think another key as a leader is showing appreciation to your team members for the work they do. A “thank-you” and recognition for a job well done can go a long way towards buy in and building loyalty.
This is a critical topic and practice for business owners and team leaders. Having
worked with hundreds of organizations, I have seen repeatedly the ability of
enterprises with strong employee buy in and healthy culture to engage complex
challenges head on. Team members are engaged in intense brainstorming and
respectful debate that they are able to turn into an actionable team plan. While there
were differences of opinion during the debate process, the team members all felt heard
and believe in the process and therefore support and participate wholeheartedly
in carrying out actions.
Thanks Brian for reminding me of the importance of this and outlining simple (but not necessarily easy) actions to create team member buy in and a healthy productive culture.