Insight: I'm often called into companies when a change has been launched but is being resisted. Here's a recent conversation from a fruit-growing company:

Manager: We implemented a new accounting practice to help ensure our costs are managed, but very few people are using the new process.

Me: Could you tell me how the new process was created?

Manager: I talked to several other managers, put together the new process, and let everyone know about it. It's a good process.

Key Action: When making decisions or changes that affect others, gather input from the groups affected and include key influencers in the decision-making process.

The best way to garner support and alignment around a decision is to include people in the process in the right way. It may take time, but it will often speed up the process in the long-term. When people feel that their opinions and concerns have been heard and considered, they will be more likely to accept the change or decision--even if they don't like it.

Including the people that are actually doing the work on a day-to-day basis will also lead to better, more informed decisions. Often, the people who are being consulted will act as champions and be able to garner their peers' support in implementing the change.

However, there are two pitfalls:

1. Including too many people can slow down the decision-making process and it costs people's time and energy. The goal is to include the right people at the right time. For example, you don't need to include all the superintendents. Instead, collect input from several and share these generalized perspectives when explaining the decision.
   
   
2. If you are just getting input but do not explicitly explain who is making the decision, people may assume that they are part of the decision-making group. This can lead to confusion, upset, and loss of trust as discussed in a previous newsletter When Brainstorming Backfires.