Last updated on Aug 7, 2024

You're facing resistance from senior stakeholders on a strategy change. How can you win their support?

When you're tasked with implementing a strategy change, winning over senior stakeholders can be a daunting challenge. These individuals often hold the keys to resources, influence, and the strategic direction of an organization. Their resistance could stem from a variety of concerns, ranging from budgetary constraints to the potential risks associated with the new strategy. To navigate this resistance and gain their support, you'll need to employ a combination of communication, persuasion, and strategic alignment techniques. It's crucial to approach this situation with a clear plan and an understanding of the stakeholders' perspectives, ensuring that you address their concerns while highlighting the benefits of the change.

1 Understand Concerns

Understanding the concerns of senior stakeholders is the first step in addressing their resistance. Engage in active listening during discussions to identify their apprehensions. Are they worried about the costs, the disruption to current processes, or the lack of evidence supporting the new strategy? Once you pinpoint their specific issues, you can tailor your approach to address these concerns directly. Empathy is key here; acknowledge their perspectives and validate their feelings before presenting your case.

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Soha Haque

World Affairs Council 2023 Global Leader of Influence I SH Strategies, Principal I Leadership & Culture Alignment | Organizational Health & Strategy | Non-Profit Advocacy I Talent Innovation & Peak Performance
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In order to adequately engage senior stakeholders to buy in to a strategy change, one must first understand the resistance issues. Through active listening, acknowledging and validating concerns, one is able to develop a strategy that addresses the pain points for resistance, recommends steps for implementation, and identifies allies within the organization, that will champion the strategy change. Highlighting benefits the initiative will bring to more than one team within the organization strategically gains buy in on multiple levels. Proactively addressing challenges, compromising on elements of the change, collaborating on clear messaging in the organization and valuing the opinions of team members, all contribute to gaining support.

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Mickael BOBIN

Alpin Capital - Distribution de solutions d’investissements liées aux Blockchains et Cryptoactifs - B2B2C - Cabinets de Gestion de Patrimoine, Gestionnaires de Fortune Indépendants & Family Offices
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Par expérience les freins rencontrés sont souvent liés à des acquis ou à une notion d'identité des personnes réfractaires au changement. cette posture est bien souvent le résultat d'une communication imparfaite ou de raccourci pris dans la mise en place d'une road map. Il est indispensable de débriefer les parties prenantes sur les discussion des comités directeurs pour éviter ces situations qui peuvent rapidement s'enliser...

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Luis Gabriel V.

Anti-Money Laundering | Anti-Fraud | Financial Crime | General Risk and Regulatory Compliance Management | Advisory and Training
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Realice entrevistas individuales o grupos focales con partes interesadas clave para profundizar en sus preocupaciones y percepciones. Utilice herramientas de análisis, como encuestas, para recopilar datos sobre sus inquietudes y prioridades. Al abordar sus preocupaciones, proporcione datos claros y ejemplos que demuestren cómo la nueva estrategia beneficiará a la organización. Mantenga un enfoque de comunicación abierta y transparente, permitiendo que los interesados expresen sus opiniones y sugerencias, lo que puede ayudar a construir confianza y compromiso.

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2 Build the Case

Building a compelling case for the strategy change is vital. You need to present a clear and logical argument that outlines the benefits, backed by data and a well-thought-out plan. Highlight how the change aligns with the organization's long-term goals and demonstrate how it can lead to improved performance or competitive advantage. Your argument should also include a risk assessment, showing that you've considered potential pitfalls and have strategies in place to mitigate them.

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Ekaterina Petrakova

Online and Retail P&L @ Mister Spex | x E-com and Performance @ Ace&Tate | x Marketing @ Rocket Internet
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Data is king. However, it can easily lead to opposite conclusions, if the clarity and/or pre-alignment are missing. What do keep in mind: - align on your focus KPI (one) beforehand; - know your audience (detail-oriented or big picture thinkers, it will dictate how the slides should look like); - be transparent about pros & cons, possible impacts & unknowns (often missed); - keep your slides clean & straight-forward, but have back-up ones with the details ready; - ensure enough time to present and discuss the case (30 mins on a day full of meetings is a bad option, add time for questions and follow-ups); - double check the meeting participants (are all critical decision-makers & experts present to prevent discussions on a side afterwards).

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3 Leverage Allies

Leveraging allies within the organization can be a powerful tactic. Identify individuals who are supportive of the strategy change and who also have influence over other stakeholders. These allies can help champion your cause and provide additional perspectives that may resonate with senior stakeholders. Having a coalition of support not only strengthens your position but also shows that there is wider organizational buy-in for the change.

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4 Communicate Effectively

Effective communication is essential when dealing with resistance. Ensure that your messaging is clear, concise, and consistent across all interactions with stakeholders. Use language that resonates with them and ties back to their interests and goals. It's also important to choose the right communication channels – whether that's formal presentations, one-on-one meetings, or written reports – to ensure your message is received and understood as intended.

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5 Negotiate Terms

Negotiation may be necessary to win over senior stakeholders. Be prepared to make concessions or adjustments to your strategy in order to address their concerns. This doesn't mean compromising the core elements of the change, but rather finding common ground where both parties feel their objectives are being met. This collaborative approach can lead to a more palatable solution for stakeholders who are on the fence.

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6 Follow Through

Finally, follow-through is critical once you've secured the support of senior stakeholders. Keep them informed about the progress of the strategy implementation and involve them in key decisions. This continued engagement not only reinforces their commitment to the change but also helps maintain a positive relationship for future initiatives. It demonstrates that their input was valued and that they played a role in the successful execution of the strategy.

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Ekaterina Petrakova

Online and Retail P&L @ Mister Spex | x E-com and Performance @ Ace&Tate | x Marketing @ Rocket Internet
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Once the decision is made, don't hesitate to ask and sign off the following your seniors: - how often an update on progress should be given; - what KPIs/depth needs to be covered in those reports/updates; - which format to be used for reporting on progress; - last but not least - who is responsible for this report/update.

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You're facing resistance from senior stakeholders on a strategy change. How can you win their support?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Understand Concerns

2 Build the Case

3 Leverage Allies

4 Communicate Effectively

5 Negotiate Terms

6 Follow Through

Senior Stakeholder Management

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You're facing resistance from senior stakeholders on a strategy change. How can you win their support?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Understand Concerns

2 Build the Case

3 Leverage Allies

4 Communicate Effectively

5 Negotiate Terms

6 Follow Through

Senior Stakeholder Management

Rate this article

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