It Takes Strength in Numbers

The best way to enact your strategy is to get everyone else to support it. Do you think that's an obvious statement? Hardly! If getting everyone to support your strategy was that obvious of an idea, how come so few of us do it? 

The successful leaders we know understand that it has nothing to do with plowing through people and challenges, but everything to do with approaching the conversation with confidence while convincing others to join you.

There are a few simple points that we consider to be the keys to success:

1. Move forward first. Nobody will follow you if you hesitate or hide behind “safe fences.” Stand by principle and progress with resolve.

2. Resource your plan. Consider including the following metrics:

   1. How much it will cost? (Provide 3 options)

   2. Who will be involved?

   3. How can it be accomplished when everyone returns to their every day churn?

   4. How will success be measured?

   5. How long it will take?

Get everyone to follow you by proposing a winning strategy. In order to make your plan work, you will likely need strength in numbers.

The last point is the most important. The real question then becomes “How?”

The "How" includes approaching as many people as you can with a scaffolding for your strategy. Present an immature version of your project to everyone, and then gather their input and opinions about it. Visit people in their offices, don’t just call. Go and see them in person. After you’ve done that for long enough, you will begin to understand the right approach necessary to make everyone feel that their input matters to that which you are proposing. If you give them importance and ownership into the process, they will place importance on the project that you're about to bring forward. 

By pre-wiring the conversation with each stakeholder, you should find that when the time comes for your plan to hit the table, it has already been approved.