The Importance of Buy-In

I thought that this week I’d talk about the concept of buy-in, specifically as it applies to change in an organization. Human beings in general are not fond of change – we have to do things differently, think differently. Change makes us unsure of ourselves, and it makes us feel less proficient – not things that most people like.

Because change is uncomfortable, people tend to resist it, either consciously or unconsciously. This can make changing things in an organization a risky process. The stress of change can cause arguments, anger and bad feelings that persist even after the change has passed and become the “new normal”. In the worst cases, organizations can be made dysfunctional, or revert to older “comfortable” ways of doing things.

The idea of buy-in, or actively getting people to support changes, is a powerful part of change management. If people have bought into an idea or proposed change, they are much more likely to support it, speak positively about it, and put in the effort that any change requires. Attempting to make changes without at least some level of buy-in from the boots on the ground is going to be difficult at best, and impossible at worst.

As powerful and useful as the idea of buy-in is, it’s also somewhat risky, from the management perspective. It means, essentially, going to the people involved and asking them for support. Outlining the benefits and rationale for the changes is a good idea too. The risk is that you won’t receive the support you want, and you may have to put the proposed changes on hold, or cancel them altogether. Or you might just want to make a better case and try again.

Ultimately, creating the culture of communication and respect that is necessary to achieve true “buy-in” is a good thing, regardless of whether a particular change is achieved. This sort of bottom-up change can be more difficult to accomplish in the short term, but it makes the human factor of a big change more supportive. And as we all know, it’s the human side that tends to make things more difficult…