(Picture: USA on the moon)
Strategy 4 Saturday Blog (<4 minute read)
Houston, We Have a Problem
“Okay, Houston…we have had a problem!” As I write this article, from Houston, Texas, these are the famous words from Jack Sigert, the command module pilot, regarding the mechanical problem on Apollo 13, April 14, 1970. Of course, this would not have even been a conversation if President John F. Kennedy did not have the vision and courage to give a speech at Rice University in Houston, on September 12, 1962, where he said, “We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”
After working as an employee and/or owner in 20 companies, coaching 25 different teams with winning records, and consulting hundreds of companies, one thing is consistent. An organization that does not have a clear vision for their winning strategy will rarely win the game. In the absence of clarity, employees and players will keep themselves busy; but they will rarely do the hard work needed to win.
In any organization, having a clear vision and mission is critical, but it’s only half the battle. To truly succeed, you need your leadership team to buy into that vision and actively work toward it. Without this buy-in, even the most intelligent and creative team will struggle to move forward effectively. Let’s explore how you can foster that buy-in and create a culture of strategic alignment.
1. Show Up Prepared
As a CEO, it’s your responsibility to set the tone. People follow leaders who are prepared and consistent. If you don’t have your strategy together, neither will your team. Walk your talk. Consistency between your words and actions is what inspires confidence and trust in your leadership. That’s why JFK’s speech at Rice was providing a consistent message to his 1961 speech a year earlier that the United States would land a man on the moon within a decade. Once you’ve established that clear strategy, it’s crucial to write it down and enable your team to respond to it. But this is only the first step.
2. Listen Actively
The next part of fostering buy-in is listening—truly listening. Imagine what would have happened to Apollo 13, if Mission Control in Houston was not listening and confirming that there was an actual problem. In strategic sessions, once the vision is laid out, the focus should shift to the team’s engagement. A powerful way to keep your team engaged is by asking the right questions. Mix in a variety of questions—true or false, data-related, and especially “why” questions. The “why” helps leaders feel heard and gives insight into their reasoning. After all, no one wants to follow a leader who isn’t interested in their input.
3. Encourage Ownership
One of the most effective ways to build buy-in is to let your team own the process. Break them into diverse groups, give them time to think through their responses, and then have them present their ideas. When leaders feel like they own a piece of the strategy, they’re far more invested in the outcome.
4. Filter Ideas for Impact
In strategy sessions, it’s easy to assume every idea is a good idea, but that’s not always the case. Encourage your team to vote on the concepts they believe will have the greatest impact and best chance of success. By doing this, you’re not only giving them ownership of the process but also ensuring the focus is on the most impactful actions.
By fostering active participation and creating ownership, you will build a culture where leaders are fully invested in moving the organization forward. When your team believes in the strategy and feels a part of its creation, the entire organization becomes much more likely to succeed.
(Picture: Destination- the moon)
Buy-in isn’t just about agreement; it’s about engagement, ownership, and a shared belief in the path forward. A visionary leader has to be willing to establish a compelling vision and be consistent in its pursuit. Front-line leaders need to have the courage like the Apollo 13 crew to overcome challenges and not quit. With these practices in place, you’ll be well on your way to creating a strategic leadership culture that drives your organization to its next moonshot destination.
(Picture: $4 Strategies™ Podcast 9/30/24)
Podcast Schedule:
The $4M Strategies™ theme for the week is Employee Engagement.
- Mon, 9/23 – Carl J Cox – Special topic: Making Tough Business Decisions
- Tues, 9/24 – Divya Parekh
- Weds, 9/25 – Greg Selkoe
- Thurs, 9/26 –Angus Nelson
- Fri, 9/27 – Dane Groeneveld – Strategic Planning
- Tues, 9/24 – Anatoliy Labinskiy
- Thurs, 9/26 – Sheldon Bernard (Re-release)
