One of the key factors in a successful project is buy-in, the process that gets staffers, board members, and other participants to adopt the goals of the project as their own. Because buy-in is so important--even crucial--it is worth spending time to achieve it. Richard Miller, Nebraska Library Commission Library Development Director, will discuss proven techniques for getting buy-in, and making sure that everyone is on board.

1. Richard Miller 2/24/10

3. Definition: Buy-in is the process of gaining people’s understanding, commitment, and action in support of your goals From How to Get Buy-In to Ensure Results

7. “ Now that you’ve decided to plan and have designed a culture-friendly process that fits your strategic situation, you have to make the pill easy to swallow. In short, you have to overcome people’s natural resistance to planning and motivate them to do a superlative job.” From Team-Based Strategic Planning by C. Davis Fogg

14. “ Men often oppose a thing merely because they have had no agency in planning it or because it may have been planned by those whom they dislike.” Alexander Hamilton

17. “ Three simple steps will multiply your chances of success. How do I get buy-in for this project? Involvement, involvement, involvement.” From “Your Business Plan – The secret of getting buy-in” by Andrew Smith

20. Strategic Planning for Results by Sandra Nelson directly addresses buy-in in Task 5 (of that planning process) entitled, “Prepare for Change.” The four steps in Task 5 are: Step 5.1 Assess the library’s readiness for change Step 5.2 Plan to create a positive environment for change Step 5.3 Review and revise communication plans Step 5.4 Train supervisors and managers

21. Step 5.1 Assess the library’s readiness for change “ Change readiness” is defined as, “The current beliefs, attitudes, and expectations of staff regarding the need, value, and probable result of a change – major or minor.”

25. As a general rule, if more than 50% of the staff who will be affected by a change are supportive, move forward.

26. Workform F – a structured method to “Analyze Change Readiness”

29. “ Managers often put more of their energies onto the negative side of this equation, not always the most effective approach. The most successful efforts may be those that accentuate the positive.”

32. Step 5.3 Review and revise communication plans Workform A – Communication Plan

33. Workform A – Communication Plan

35. “ Remember that the library staff is more likely to support a strategic plan they helped to shape than a plan developed for them.

38. Key point: To achieve buy-in: COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE

39. “ Public sentiment is everything. With it, nothing can fail. Without it, nothing can succeed.” Abraham Lincoln

40. QUESTIONS?

41. RESOURCES (in the order used): http://www.bizmanualz.com/information/2005/05/25/how-to-get-buy-in-to-ensure-results.html from, bizmanualz.com “ Getting Support instead of buy-in” by Lisa Brochu: http://interpnet.com/interpplan/?p=48 Chapter 6, “Preparing the Org: Getting Buy-in & Developing Skills for Strategic Change” from Team-Based Strategic Planning . . . by C. Davis Fogg: http://books.google.com/books?id=3SXTSFdCyRIC&pg=PA75&lpg=PA75&dq=planning+getting+buy+in&source=bl&ots=pERVv39c_W&sig=pEGkEJha6XT_Fv8FzuVBFBJxmtE&hl=en&ei=0sd5S93PO4zANYXr0bQH&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CCAQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=planning%20getting%20buy%20in&f=false

42. “ How to get buy-in for project conclusions and recommendations” by Rune Aresvik: http://teambasedconsulting.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-to-get-buy-in-for-project.html Link to “getting buy-in for your vision”: http://onlytraitofaleader.com/2006/07/13/getting-buy-in-for-your-vision-without-writing-by-committee/ Riggs, Donald E. Strategic Planning for Library Managers . Phoenix: The Oryx Press, 1984. Nelson, Sandra S. for the Public Library Association. Strategic Planning for Results . Chicago: American Library Association, 2008.