We deliver our best and most sustained effort when we are driven by our hearts. As a leader, when you speak to the hearts and minds of your audience, you give them a reason to take action in support of the vision you present. This is how to get team buy-in.
Speak to the Heart to Get Team Buy-in
Hearts and minds are smart. They know when someone is authentic or just putting on a show. If you want an honest emotional response from others, let the emotion come from within you. Your heart is what is driving you to the vision or change you want to share with your team, so your job is to understand your own thoughts and feelings and share them clearly. This is the foundation for how to get team buy-in.
Name What You Feel to Clarify What You Mean
To define your emotions in a concise way, search for a “Feelings Wheel” or “Emotions Wheel.” Choose the words that match what you feel, then connect those feelings to the change you are asking your team to make. When you can name it, you can channel it into a message your team can trust.
Use Storytelling to Inspire Action and Buy-in
Storytelling is one of the best ways to connect your message to the hearts of your audience and inspire the action you want. There are many resources and courses to help you refine this skill. This Harvard Business Review article offers a helpful overview to get you started: Storytelling That Moves People.
A simple way to shape your story
- Set the scene, what is happening now and why it matters.
- Share the stakes, what is at risk for customers, the team, or the business.
- Describe the struggle, what you wrestled with and what you learned.
- Show the shift, the insight that changed your view.
- Make the ask, the clear next step you want the team to take.
Share the Journey, Invite the Work
Remember, you are way ahead of your audience in understanding your vision or change plan. Share the journey you have been on, the questions you asked, the choices you made, and the moments that shaped your conviction. Then invite your team into the most exciting part of the journey, to build or change something together. This is how people move from hearing your words to owning the work.
Try This Now
- Take one minute to name three emotions you feel about the change.
- Draft a short story that links those emotions to the vision.
- Close with one clear ask that your team can act on today.
Support for Leaders
If you want support building the communication skills that get team buy-in, Sage and Summit offers leadership communication training, team coaching, and executive coaching. Reach out to explore what will serve you and your team.
