By Brian Eshult at ProductCamp Twin Cities 2016 Session Clients, colleagues, bosses, significant others—they all need convincing sometimes. Think about a time when you failed to convince someone that your solution or proposal was the best way to go. Do you know what went wrong? What you could have done differently? I’d love to share a magical solution for how to create buy-in for ideas, but I don’t have it. I do have a very useful framework from the Theory of Constraints body of knowledge that has increased my success rate through preparing and reacting with the framework in mind. This session is designed to be interactive. I’ll present six steps (key concepts) that will maximize your chances of getting agreement, buy-in, or approval. Then we’ll practice using them. Questions and feedback encouraged throughout.

1. Getting Agreement
in Six (not so) Easy Steps
PDMA Product Camp Twin Cities 2016

2. Brian Eshult – PMP, CSM, CSPO
§ Team leader for over 9 years
§ Specializing in helping high-tech teams
deliver results.

3. Six Steps to Buy-in
§ Comes from Theory of Constraints
- Thinking Process
§ Amazing process for clarifying solutions
and executing organizational changes

4. Session Goal
§ At the end of this session you should:
§ Have some new tactics for communicating your
next idea/proposal
§ Have some new tactics on how to get an existing
idea/proposal unstuck

5. Getting agreement is hard on
complex issues.
§ How many of you have failed to convince
someone of an idea you really thought was
great?

6. Are people inherently resistant to
change and new things?
§ Either way – we need to take resistance
into account
§ Work on what we can control
§ Remember we don’t always communicate
as well as we think

7. Bizarro – by Dan Piraro

8. How The Steps Help
§ Forces YOU to think through your idea
§ Prepares you to deal with resistance
§ Helps ensure real buy-in, not just
agreement

9. The Six Steps to Buy-in
1. Agreement on Problem
2. Agreement on Direction of Solution
3. Agreement on Solution Details
4. Address Negative Side Effects
5. Address Major Obstacles
6. Get Commitment

10. Step 1:
Agreement on the Problem
§ Don’t waste time on solutions for the
wrong problem.
§ Resistance to details might really be
something more – disagreement on
the problem.

11. Step 1: The “Core” Problem
§ Dig down into root causes
§ Which problem should you address?

12. Step 1: The “Core” Problem
§ Example scenario for explaining the steps:
Taking a Trip

13. Step 1: The “Core” Problem
Trip Example
Statement
“We need to get from St. Paul to
L.A. for the family reunion.”
Response
“Look, I really just want a vacation
somewhere warm.”

14. Practice Step 1
§ 1 minute
§ Pick an idea you need buy-in on
§ Identify what you see as the core problem
§ Identify what other people might see

15. Step 2:
Agreement on Direction of Solution
§ Don’t rush to detailed solutions.
§ Get agreement on the high-level approach

16. Step 2: Direction of Solution
Trip Example
Direction A
“Let’s fly to the reunion in L.A.”
Direction B
“No, let’s drive.”

17. Delivery Advice
§ Be ready to advocate for your position
AND
§ Listen and be open to better ideas
§ Collaborative attitude
§ Helps build buy-in
§ Gets better results

18. Practice Step 2
§ 1 minutes
§ Your high-level strategy, method
§ Alternatives others might suggest
§ Jot down key points that support your position
§ 3 minutes
§ Find a partner
§ Discuss problem and direction of solution

19. Step 3:
Agreement on Solution Details
§ NOW get into the details
§ Show how your proposal solves
the problem you agreed on.
§ Who, what, when, how?

20. Step 3: Solution Details
Trip Example
“Here is my detailed driving plan,
with timelines, routes, and hotels
that will get us to L.A. for the
reunion.”

21. Step 4:
Address Negative Side Effects
§ YES, BUT…
§ YES, the plan will solve the problem
§ BUT, it will cause ANOTHER ONE
§ How can you overcome, eliminate, tolerate
these side effects?

22. Step 4: Negative Side Effects
Trip Example
“Driving will get us there, but cost too
much. We won’t have money for a tour
of the stars homes.”

23. Step 5:
Address Obstacles
§ YES, BUT…
§ YES, the plan will solve the problem
§ BUT, it we can’t do it BECAUSE OF…
§ How can you overcome, eliminate, tolerate
these obstacles?

24. Step 5: Obstacles
Trip Example
“Yes driving will get us there, but our
tires are so old. They’ll never make it.”

25. Delivery Advice
§ Don’t get defensive when people bring up
obstacles or side effects.
§ Engage their expertise to help with
solutions
§ You (and your solution) are not perfect
§ It becomes “our” plan
§ Increases buy-in

26. Practice Steps 3, 4, 5
§ 1 minute to jot down:
§ A few key details of your plan
§ Potential negative side effects
§ Potential obstacles
§ 3 minutes
§ Discuss with a partner

27. Step 6: Get Commitment
§ DO NOT assume commitment to action
§ Confirm Commitment
§ Get promises, signatures, etc.

28. Step 6: Get Commitment
Trip Example
Statement
“So, I’m going to buy new tires and start
booking hotels for the trip. OK?”
Response
“Well, I’m not really comfortable driving
late at night. I’m not sure I can do this.”

29. Practice Step 6
§ 1 minute
§ Make a list of key people/stakeholders
§ How will you know they are committed?

30. 1 2 3 4 5 6
Simple Right?
§ Helps YOU plan ahead.
§ You will learn things along the way.

31. Questions
§ Now
§ Later
§ brian@eshult.com

32. Session Goal - Survey
§ New tactics for communicating your next
idea/proposal?
§ New tactics on how to get an existing idea/
proposal unstuck?

33. Feedback Welcome
§ Please send me feedback on this session!
§ @beshult
§ brian@eshult.com

34. Sources
§ AGI – Theory of Constraints Thinking
Process (Jonah) Training Course
www.goldratt.com
§ Goldratt TOC Satellite Program, 1999

35. Thank you !