At the recent Training – PM Forum on “Buy-in, engagement and stakeholder management” workshop we welcomed executive and manager delegates from legal and accountancy firms as well as a delegate from Poland. The session used the 7P model of buy-in to explore rational and emotional tools to achieve buy-in: Plan, Process, People, Psychology, Persuasion, Pressure and Patience. Achieve more engagement and buy-in: Relationships, Plan, Expectations, Benefits, Persuasion and Training.
Forge relationships
Before we try to generate engagement and buy-in we need to forge relationships with fee-earners. This is challenging as everyone is time poor and most communications are digital. And we know that face-to-face communication is most effective in building relationships. Time for informal, social engagement – so important for getting to know people – has reduced.
Taking time to learn about fee-earners – their work, their clients, their priorities, their motivations – is the starting point. We can research their professional and personal interests. And we can ask questions Why are questions so important? (Questioning skills) (kimtasso.com). This way we build mutual understanding and empathy. An introduction to emotional intelligence (EQ) and empathy (Video) (kimtasso.com).
Everyone is different. So build knowledge of and adapt to different personalities, genders, cultures and generations. This book explores how to manage these differences when communicating digitally Book review: Digital Body Language – How to build trust by Erica Dhawan (kimtasso.com). One delegate reported on the success of their firm’s “Next generation” programme. One size certainly doesn’t fit all.
We must learn to be patient. Allow time for fee-earners to get to know us and what we do and can deliver. It takes time to build trust trust for better business relationships (kimtasso.com).
Have a plan
We need to be clear about our aims.
At the workshop, we used a visualisation exercise to consider how it might look and sound if we achieved the engagement and buy-in we desire. We used force field analysis to consider the factors working for (the benefits) and against (the barriers and obstacles) the change. Adding data and evidence means we can compile a persuasive business case. This explains the logical and rational case for the change.
A plan sets out the steps or actions that must be taken to achieve the desired engagement and buy-in. And – with data and analytics – we can track progress and success.
Delegates reflected that taking some time out to step back and consider our overall buy-in aims – and the steps to achieve them – was a valuable investment.
Manage expectations
Clarity about what we hope to achieve will help to manage expectations.
Building empathy with fee-earners helps us to understand what they expect and any assumptions they may be making about the likely results. We may need to educate them on the processes and what input from them is required in order to achieve their expected results.
Explain that success requires constant effort over time – and that often it may take a while for results to appear. That’s the nature of the often long and protracted sales cycles in professional services.
We must be realistic about time constraints. Whilst we know that fee-earners need to act in a timely way to meet deadlines, they may be under extreme pressure to respond to client demands, meet regulatory time limits, cover for absent colleagues, recruit and train fee-earners and tackle all manner of other management responsibilities. Consider what we can do to reduce the pressure on them. Ask them what timeframes are realistic, bearing in mind their other commitments.
Check in regularly on their progress to help everyone adhere to timelines. Regular reports on success will maintain their interest, reassure them that the benefits are being delivered and motivate further action.
The firm’s culture and reward systems are the context for their engagement with marketing and business development. Some firms still have performance management systems that focus solely on billable hours – to the exclusion of any non-billable activities. People are rational and will concentrate on those things where they are measured. So you may need to explain the importance of marketing and business development to them personally – to raise their internal and external profile, to position themselves as experts, to build valuable networks and to increase their chances of achieving partnership.
Explain the benefits
For us, the benefits to the firm and fee-earners of marketing and business development activities are obvious. But we can’t assume that fee-earners will see the rationale and value the same way. Often, we will need to explain and educate – in simple terms that relate to the fee-earners’ perspective.
A simple technique – as we use with clients – is to convert “we” statements into “you” statements.
For example:
From: “We want your sales pipeline data”
To: “You will know what work is likely to convert and when – for yourself and across the team – and to know where to focus your time and effort to best effect if you provide sales pipeline data”
Our fee-earners will be motivated by different things – for example: financial rewards, recognition, approval by their peers and positive client feedback. By getting to know them, we will have better insight to what is important to them and can reflect this in how we explain the benefits.
Be influential and persuasive
Influence is having a vision of the optimum outcome and then, without using force or coercion, motivating people to work together toward making the vision a reality. With influence, dedicating time to win someone’s heart or earn mindshare is a prerequisite to the process of inspiring them to take action or make a particular decision.
Influencing is reliant on our personal credibility. We considered various ways to increase our influence. How do you make a personal impact – Make a difference (kimtasso.com)
Persuasion is presenting a case in such a way as to sway the opinion of others, make people believe certain information or motivate a decision. Persuasion can be used to spur someone to action or to make a decision without actually earning their sincere buy-in.
Persuasion is reliant on various skills and techniques such as storytelling. And we need knowledge of the psychology of persuasion. As well as switching from “tell” to “ask”, we explored various ideas including:
Influence – Cialdini’s six principles of the psychology of persuasion (kimtasso.com)
Power of three – Writing and presentation basics (Video) (kimtasso.com)
Book review – Persuasion: The art of influencing people by James Borg (kimtasso.com)
leader’s guide to negotiation – book review (kimtasso.com)
Coaching skills – the power of questions (kimtasso.com)
22 tips on being a persuasive writer in professional services (kimtasso.com)
Storytelling book reviews: The Story Advantage and The Story Factor (kimtasso.com)
Book review “How to win friends and influence people” by Dale Carnegie (kimtasso.com)
We also considered the power of role models and peer pressure. And how to recruit champions and sponsors to our cause.
There were also comments about how to structure and present ideas and reports more effectively (i.e. without relying on long and detailed PowerPoint presentations).
Provide training, coaching and support
Getting people together in a workshop (social learning) was a good way to promote engagement. If people feel that their views have been heard and that they have contributed to plans, they are more likely to feel engaged and committed to the resulting plans. Achieving buy-in before the event – rather than afterwards.
Whilst people may agree to do something, they may not know how to do it. And they may either be reluctant to reveal their lack of skill or be unaware of it. Gently probe to learn how people plan to tackle a task. Be alert to indications that they are unfamiliar with the process or lack the necessary skills, confidence or experience.
Most firms provide training on marketing and business development in a variety of formats (e.g. webinars, checklist, guides, templates, intranet, coaching etc). You may need to signpost or remind people of these resources.
We looked at the “Explain – Train – Remain” model. And remembered to provide examples (especially of “what good looks like” and to build micro-habits). We can invest time in understanding learning theory.
Improve learning effectiveness – Using Kolb’s learning styles (kimtasso.com)
Boost training effectiveness by incorporating learning theory (kimtasso.com) including reflection
Learning & Development Update: Lean Learning (kimtasso.com)
Helping people change: Coaching with compassion (kimtasso.com)
Neuroscience for learning and development by Stella Collins (kimtasso.com)
I’m drafting an article on working with “control freaks” and micro-managers. Please let me know if you have anything to contribute (on an anonymous basis if necessary).
Related engagement and buy-in posts
Employee Communications and Alumni Programmes (kimtasso.com) August 2023
Campaigns, thought leadership and project management (kimtasso.com) June 2023
Influence and persuasion skills with Aristotle and Knights and Dinosaurs (kimtasso.com) May 2023
The Proactive M&BD Executive – Culture shock, marketing models (kimtasso.com) April 2023
20 insights on change management processes and communication (kimtasso.com) November 2022
Book review: Influential Internal Communication by Jenni Field (kimtasso.com) September 2022
Key issues in Marketing and Business Development Planning (kimtasso.com) July 2022
Ten top takeaways on stakeholder engagement and buy in (kimtasso.com) April 2022
Book review: Digital Body Language – How to build trust by Erica Dhawan (kimtasso.com) June 2021
Seven thoughts on stakeholder management, engagement and buy-In (kimtasso.com) April 2021
Animal magic of buy-in and stakeholder engagement (Video) (kimtasso.com) September 2020
The Legal PR Guide – Gaining buy-in to law firm media relations (kimtasso.com) December 2019
Animal magic and the art of gaining buy-in: Leeds September 2019 (kimtasso.com) October 2019
Change management and Employee engagement (kimtasso.com) April 2019
all about buy-in in professional services (Manchester and Dublin 2019) (kimtasso.com) March 2019
Team management issues – Managing up, boundaries and broken relationships (kimtasso.com) February 2019
workshop on buy-in – Professional Marketing Forum psychology and management (kimtasso.com) September 2018
Stakeholder management and buy-in session (kimtasso.com) August 2016
Achieving buy-in – Oranges, elephants and dancing – Kim Tasso April 2016
partner buy-in – techniques (kimtasso.com) June 2015
10 tips to increase buy-in: Planning to persuade – Kim Tasso June 2014
Getting it past the partners – All about buy in – Kim Tasso June 2012
Delegate views
Delegate aims
- Manage expectations across teams with different objectives
- Achieve buy-in from internal stakeholders
- Deal with a micro-manager
- Refresh on working effectively with multiple decision-makers
- Explain the value of our work
- Overcome resistance to new ideas and projects
- Educate people on the value of contributing information on pipeline
- Instil confidence in fee-earners of the MBD team
- Build trust in relationships
- Work effectively with diverse teams
- Improve acceptance of and adherence to timelines
Delegate key takeaways
- Understand my real challenge better
- Be clear what success looks and sounds like when reporting in internal communications
- Make an effort to have F2F meetings
- Ask questions and get to know the stakeholder before prompting ideas
- Appreciate the fee-earner perspective
- Use stories – go beyond just numbers
- Find champions
- Use metrics to make a case
- Explain, train, remain
- Add variety into regular team meetings to increase enjoyment and engagement
One delegate shared the insight that “the grass isn’t always greener” – explaining that the engagement and buy-in challenges were similar for many of us.
Delegate poll results
Which topic is of most interest?
- 29% Managing stakeholders
- 29% Improving internal engagement
- 29% Achieving buy in (rational)
- 14% Persuasion
Do you think your buy-in challenge relates mostly to:
- 29% You personally (your credibility, trust etc)
- 14% Concept of M&BD for your fee-earners
- 29% Specific ideas/projects you are trying to promote
- 29% Culture of your firm
Which is the MOST important stakeholder group you are trying to influence?
- 29% Board
- 29% Partners
- 14% Senior fee-earners
- 14% Junior fee-earners
- 14% Other support teams
What percentage of your fee-earners are engaged with M&BD?
- 17% 1%-25%
- 50% 25%-50%
- 33% 50%-75%
- 0% Over 75%
How would you rate your personal influencing skills?
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4 17%
- 5
- 6 50%
- 7 33%
- 8
- 9
- 10
Have you prepared a plan for what you are seeking buy-in for?
- 57% Yes
- 29% No
- 14% Sort of
What is the main reason for resistance at your firm?
- 29% Lack of fee-earner time
- 14% Lack of fee-earner motivation (reward systems)
- 14% Lack of data, information and evidence
- 14% Perception of M&BD
- 29% Relationship between fee-earners and M&BD
Is the majority of your communication with fee-earners:
- 14% Face-to-face
- 43% Virtual meetings
- 0% Telephone
- 43% Email
How would you rate your persuasion skills now?
- 0% Excellent
- 86% Good
- 14% Average
