Book Highlights: Buy-In

Type of people you will encounter:

1. Pompous Mean
2. Avoid Risks
3. Divert Attention
4. Hidden Agenda
5. Supporter

Tactics used to attack you:

1. Confusion
   • irrelevant facts, convoluted logic, too many alternatives provided
   • “What about, what about, what about” argument
   • gives an impression that idea has not been well thought out
   • people cannot follow conversation anymore
   • stats often used to confuse
2. Death by delay
   • attention can be diverted to other issues while diverting from the current focus
   • seems to have a sound and reasonable logic
   • “we have too much on our plate argument or issues needs urgent attention. IT may not require 100% of the people’s attention
3. Fear mongering
   • they push emotional buttons
   • look for words that trigger emotions like big government, fire, slippery slope, ruined etc
4. Ridicule & character assassination
   • question your competence; – It has collateral damage; –

How to respond:

1. Dont be afraid of distractors, they can help you
2. Response – simple, straight-forward and honest
3. Show respect
4. Watch everyone. Focus on majority, and ignore the minority if they are firm on their positions.
5. Anticipate & prepare in advance

Goal is to not try and convince all those who disagree with you, but win over the majority, not just 51% either.

Do not portray your solution as a panacea to all problems. One product cannot solve all problems that an organization has.

When someone points a finger at you indirectly, appreciate the compliments, but emphasize that it was the work of large team. Attack is now made to look like its being targeted at the entire group

Stages of the meeting:

1. We need no solution, because there is no problem
2. There is a problem, but your solution is flawed or doesn’t deal with it
3. There is a problem, solution is good, but will not work in this situation/organization

Types of attacks: (R:Response)

1. We’ve been successful; why change? R: Those who fail to adapt eventually become extinct or irrelevant
2. Money (any other problem the product does’t address) R: Extra money is what rarely builds truly great companies or organizations or funds great inventions
3. You exaggerate the problem and the problem you raise is trivial R: Bring discussion back to the merit of your idea. Use a real life example so that people can empathize
4. You’re implying that we’re failing R: No, we’re suggesting you’re doing a remarkably good job without the needed tools.
5. What’s the hidden agenda here? R: Well no, look at our track records and the team behind this proposal
6. What about this, and that, and this…? R: All good ideas. if new. raise more questions that cannot be answered with certainty. Cannot about 100% certain about any new idea. Holding new ideas to such standard, will kill most ideas.
7. Your proposal goes too far/doesn’t go far enough R: 1. Good, we agree there is a problem. 2. I’m glad we agree the direction proposed is in the right direction. 3. Let’s get started at least. 4. If it goes too far, we will slow down at that point. 5. If it doesn’t go far enough, we will use the successes we would have had until then to mobilize into meeting the shortage.
8. You have a chicken & egg problem R: Start small instead of doing two activities at the same time.
9. Sounds like [something most people dislike] to me! R: Dismiss the comparison, and replace it with a more compelling and attractive one
10. You’re abandoning our traditional/core values R: Our plan in fact upholds these values. We do not seek to change your existing processes but instead add value to your institution.
11. It’s too simplistic to work No, its the combination of the good work you do and some new ideas together, can create benefits for everyone
12. No one else does this R: There is a first time for everything, and this presents an unique opportunity. (We have a few examples of schools & universities trying this out today)
13. You can’t have it both ways R: We didn’t say X or Y, although it may have sounded that way. We said A and B, which are not incompatible.
14. Put forth an issue that is worrisome at an opportune moment and something the proposer don’t know about R: No one can deny the significance of the issue raised. We may have not explored this issue, but so far far every potential problem has been solved and we’re confident of addressing this issue as well.
15. Idea is flawed because it is causing so many questions & concerns R: Actually its good that there are many questions. It shows we are engaged, & an engaged group makes better decisions and also implements them more successfully.
16. We tried it before – didn’t work R: Conditions have probably changed. What we propose isn’t exactly what was tried before.
17. It’s too difficult to understand R: Not a problem. We will make the required effort to make everyone understand and convince them. We believe its worth the effort.
18. Good idea, but not the right time R: So you like the idea. Can I know what is stopping you from using the product now?
19. It’s just too much work to implement this R: Good ideas always need time and energy to implement them, but the end benefits are far-reaching. (This will benefit students and teachers tremendously and bring a new dimension to learning)
20. It won’t work here, we’re different! R: True, we recognize that. But we all are humans and organizations however unique they might be in their setup, have remarkable similarities. (Give a real world example)
21. It puts us on a slippery slope R: Good organizations or groups of people use common sense as guard rail to keep from sliding into disaster
22. We can’t afford this. R: Most important changes without new sources of money
23. You’ll never convince enough people R: That right, and is never possible, so that’s okay
24. We’re simply not equipped to do this R: You have much of what is required, and we can work together and get the rest

Process of getting the buy-in:

1. Get people’s attention
2. Then, win their minds
3. And finally win their hearts