Buy-In

“The true source of power for a leader is not authority but buy-in. How to create more buy-in is the master skill of great leadership.” - Admired Leaders

How do you create more buy-in as a coach?

In a business setting, the best leaders realize that cooperation from their team is essential. They aren’t achieving their goals if they don’t get the team on board. In coaching, we seem to take a different approach. We are going to tell you what to do, and you have to get on board. Do we look for cooperation from our team when we are coaching? We should.

Buy-in in the business world starts by asking your team for their opinion and involving them in the process as much as possible. Do we do this with our teams? Then they find leaders within their team to carry the torch from them amongst other team members. They get a couple of key influencers on board and give them the space to make an impact. We can do that with our teams - the idea of team captains comes to mind - but is it as effective if we don’t ask the questions first? We just assume our players are going to buy-in because they are supposed to listen to the coach.

As the process continues, the best leaders are in the weeds having multiple conversations with key team members, especially those who might be resistant to change. The best coaches do this, constantly communicating, listening and taking stock of where their team is mentally. But is it as effective as we think it is if we aren’t asking the right questions early on in the process?

Great business leaders don’t just make big, declarative statements. They don’t just give the team the answers, and tell them to go do the work. We do this too much as coaches. We want to give our guys the answers, and just have them rep it over and over. The problem is when the test comes, the questions change. We should be teaching our guys how to solve problems, not how to follow instructions.

You can give your team a vision with declaring what will be done and how it will be done. Do we want to be a championship level team? Yes. Okay, let’s talk about the best way to get there. Ask them what they think. Get them to understand what it takes, and take ownership of the approach. Ask them for their opinion, and get them involved in the process. Are we secure enough as a coach to do that?

“People get on board slow-moving trains where leaders ask them to collaborate to build a railroad. Buy-in always starts with collaboration and gains steam from the dialogue that ensues. 

The most skillful leaders know exactly where they want the team and organization to go, but they get there by asking others. They aren’t scared that the team will forge a different path or set a poor direction because they have planted the seed in many conversations before the idea or change fully materializes. They don’t sell or direct. They involve and collaborate. And buy-in is the result. “ - Admired Leaders