One of the most common questions we hear from Cultivators is some variation of, “How do I get buy-in for my change initiative?”. Whether you’re seeking peer support to launch an ERG, or leadership buy-in for an organizational culture initiative, challenging the status quo is hard without support, and even the best ideas can be shut down before they start. So how should we go about getting buy-in? What happens when we hit common blockers? How can we move past a "no"? 

In this 45-minute event replay, Cultivate founder, Steve Garguilo guides us through personal examples of obtaining buy-in from his own work history. Beyond that, he shares what he would do differently now, why change often starts small, and how to make it easy for people to support you.

Some common points that came up repeatedly in the discussion were:

• Radical empathy: Be aware of the context that leaders and peers exist in and what their priorities are when we ask for support and buy-in.

• Clear, simple asks: When asking for support, be specfic and clear in what you are asking for and make it as easy as possible for leaders and peers to take that action. Don’t overwhelm potential allies with multiple or unclear asks.

• Build momentum: The power of peer support, of existing prototypes, or of customer or employee data make it harder for leaders to say no. Start a movement and offer them the opportunity to get on board.

As we seek to make change within our workplace, it can feel like the path is long and winding and like the default answer is always “no”. But as Steve said, “It’s easy to say ‘no’ to something that doesn’t exist.” By building collaboration with fellow Cultivators, and leveraging the resources you do have, you’ll have a better chance of moving your idea forward together.

Love this workshop and want more? Hear Steve give the keynote at our free, virtual conference CultivatorCon!

Notable Timestamps:

5:35 I Giving someone the ability to say “no” when they can’t say “yes”

16:17 I Prepare for the meeting: think beyond the slides

18:54 I Start before you’re ready: Why budget might not be the first step 

22:49 I Make it as easy as possible for people to support you

24:00 I How do you keep going when you keep hitting a “no”?

27:45 I Why community is important 

30:46 I The Elements of Empowerment 

31:30 I Member question: When is passion not enough? 

33:38 I Member question: Removing doors and providing support opportunities for BIPOC women

39:00 I Building inertia for big changes 

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