How to get people onboard with your business plans

Have you got big plans for your business this year? Maybe you want to launch new products or services, grow your business, expand your team or move to a new location. Whatever you’re planning, you’ll need to get those closest to your business on board with it first.

Depending on the size and shape of your business, there are various people you’ll need to share your plans with, including your associates and colleagues – whether that’s one person or hundreds around the world.

These people are your internal stakeholders. They have an interest in your business and whether you succeed. In many cases you’ll be relying on them to help you deliver your plans. It makes sense that you’ll have a much higher chance of success if they understand what you want to achieve, why you’re doing it and what they can do to help you.

How to get people onboard with your plans

Here are a few things you can do to help people feel as excited about your plans as you are:

• Involve people at the earliest opportunity – The biggest resistance to change comes when people feel it’s being done ‘to them’ or without them. It can be tempting to hold off sharing your plans until they’re ready to launch. Sharing them early on can help people get their heads round them and even provide valuable input to help you shape them.
• Share your vision – It can be hard for people to imagine the changes before they happen. Painting a picture of the future that you are working towards is a powerful way to help them.
• Get clear on your why – People will be more likely to support your plans if they understand why you want to achieve them. If they can see and share your purpose, you will build a stronger, more motivated and committed team.
• Explain what it will mean to them – People are often afraid of change as they’re unsure how it will affect them and what they’ll need to do differently. Be clear from the beginning what are you expecting from them and what they can expect from you in return.
• Give them the opportunity to ask questions both at the beginning and throughout the process. Not everyone thinks of their questions immediately. Some people need more time to process information. You’ll also need to offer different ways for people to ask their questions. Some people will be happy to ask in public. Others will prefer to ask you in private or online, especially if it’s a sensitive topic. If your plans are more complex, consider producing some FAQs. This makes sure everyone gets a consistent answer to the same question.
• Listen to people’s ideas – This is your plan, so you might think you’ve got everything covered. But you might be surprised what a fresh pair of eyes can bring.
• Share regular updates – Every step towards implementing the plan is progress. Set a frequency so people know when they can expect to hear from you. Don’t forget to share major milestones if they are achieved between updates.
• Never assume people know what’s going on. It’s easy to think that because you’ve shared something once, everyone remembers and understands it. Don’t be afraid to repeat the essential messages every time you share an update.
• Celebrate success – Sometimes we get so caught up in delivering the plan that we forget to appreciate the progress we’re making. Make time to celebrate and thank everyone who has helped you get to this point.

Following these simple steps will help you to build collaboration, ownership, momentum and commitment – helping people feel more involved in your business and increasing the likelihood that your plans will be implemented successfully.

Whatever you’re planning this year, good luck! If you have any questions, feel free to post them below.

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