Getting Buy-in from Your Team

“If you don’t get support from your team members, your project runs the risk of not being completed on schedule and within budget—or even failing completely even if the project looks good when completed and satisfies the goals. Lack of buy-in may cause leadership and management problems down the road when you work with the same team on the next project."

• Engage the group in a team-building activity. This can be held at the office or off-site. Team members benefit from learning to work together as these types of activities can act as metaphors for how the team behaves in a business situation. Team-building activities also serve to bond team members and strengthen their relationships.

• Clarify the mission. Be sure that all are clear about the project’s goals and, equally important, that your team members recognize its importance to the organization and to their own careers.

• Set team and individual goals. There’s a single goal that the team needs to achieve, but there are also milestones along the way. The more involved that members are in setting all the goals associated with the project, the more committed they will be to seeing the project succeed—within costs, in time and in results.

• Make members responsible for the final result. While each team member will have his or her own assignment, each one should recognize that accountability for the final result rests with him or her and the other members of the group—not just with the team leader.

• Don’t micromanage. Team members should have the authority to make decisions within their respective areas of responsibility. If the workflow demands that you and members of the team are kept abreast of decisions made by others, you may question decisions but only if you believe that the final result might be damaged by the action taken.

• Maintain momentum. If progress slows, interest will wane and members will begin to arrive late, leave early or come with incomplete assignments. So you want to see that the pace of work is fast enough to sustain team attention but not so quick that it impacts the quality of the work, the decisions made and the final results.

• Provide periodic progress reports. These updates will enable you to recognize, and provide feedback on, individual member’s work and encourage similar good efforts by other members of the team.

• Build in rewards. Depending on the nature of the work, you might want to recognize specific efforts as you reach milestones. If the team is on a tight deadline and may have to work late or on weekends, you might provide break time during which food and drinks are available to sustain individual energy levels. The socialization that occurs during these time-out sessions also creates a sense of camaraderie that helps build buy-in for the final project.

• Examine your leadership style. Ask yourself, would you like to work for someone like you? Do you delegate work and then walk away, or do you hover to ensure that the work is done exactly like you would do it? Do you listen well and communicate openly? Do you respect all members? Do you show enthusiasm and a positive attitude?

• Celebrate the completion of a project. It’s so easy just to move on to the next activity given the demands that are placed on most leaders in the workplace. A demanding work environment is precisely why it’s important to enjoy the moment of accomplishment and victory. The celebration does not have to be elaborate or expensive—a group lunch in the office helps to bring closure to the project and acknowledges a job well done.

• Debrief. Ask team members their insights on the project—what went right? What went wrong? Ask yourself, which assignments did you keep for yourself to complete and which did you delegate? Were you selective, giving each team member tasks that they were best qualified and most motivated to handle?

PASS

• Nailing the concept. From the beginning, Kendra understood that people buy sleek sports cars on emotion. She had a clear vision of designing the brochure around emotions and used the car's beautiful features to capture them. She wisely used a focus group of potential consumers to find out what emotions the car evoked in them.  Even when challenged by her teammates, she remained focused and committed to her vision. Good leaders often are challenged; great leaders know when they are right and have the skills to execute the vision.
   

• Creativity. Kendra designed the entire brochure in an oval, capturing the unique shape of the grill of the car on the cover. Her design included a folder to hold a CD and showcased the car's beauty and sex appeal. Without using overwhelming text to explain the car, she chose simple but powerful emotions to highlight its features.
   

• Willingness to do whatever it takes. True winners in business are willing to do whatever is necessary to finish a job. Kendra stayed up all night because she knew it would be required for the win. Kudos to her for doing what team members Craig and Tana were unwilling to do.
   

• Keep me in the loop. Kendra instructed Craig (after she gave him the task of shooting the interior shots of car) to call her and keep her apprised of any new ideas or changes. It seems as though she knew Craig had not bought into her vision, and she wanted to make sure he executed it. Kendra was smart to direct Craig to keep her in the loop and manage him closely. Left to his own devices, Craig was a potential liability.
   

• Compassionate firing. Who knew that Trump had such a soft side? After firing Chris in the boardroom, he took the young man aside and, in a very sincere way, attempted to pick up his spirits and noted that he would one day be a "big success." The strongest leaders are able to show authentic compassion in the most difficult of situations. They are attuned to how others are feeling and can say what is appropriate to reflect appreciation, calm fears and tone down anger. Good for Trump.

FAIL

• Negativity. Gloomy Craig spreads negativity, disapproval and pessimism. Almost everything he says is unconstructive. If a leader continually allows negativity to spread, the team will founder. Unchecked, negative energy can be infectious and extremely detrimental to the team.
   

• Failure to plan the presentation. Kendra's one mistake in this episode was not planning the presentation. Because there was no clear plan or expectations, Tana took over the presentation.
   

• Stealing the limelight when it's not yours. Shame on Tana for stealing Kendra's thunder in the presentation to the executives. Shame on Craig for his trying to convince us that "we did all deliver on this one." Yeah right buddy, anyone watching this episode clearly saw this was truly Kendra's win. Kendra's design, creativity, vision, execution and can-do attitude won this task for her team.
   

• Clarity in communication. Craig cannot communicate clearly or effectively. His rhetoric is continually open to interpretation. He fails to communicate or to listen. Craig repeatedly voiced he didn't get Kendra's vision, even though it was pretty clear.
   

• Sold the steak, forgot the sizzle. Net Worth blew it by focusing on the details. They lost sight of what truly sells a sexy sports car. They should have focused their brochure on the sleek curves and lines of the car, its beautiful rich interior and the emotions that make someone want to drive it. Instead they overloaded the brochure with boring, detailed text. Their cover was uninspired (the Pontiac logo) and their pictures were blurry.

The Report Card

Net Worth: Effort -- Performance -- Creativity --   C D D-	WEEK TWELVE BOOK SMARTS Magna STREET SMARTS Net Worth
Magna: Effort -- Performance -- Creativity --   A+ A+ A+