The toughest thing about fresh insight, new strategies and a personal passion to make something happen is the wait for others to catch on. Am I right!? Here are five things to help you stay the course in winning people over when you pitch a project, champion a strategy and win people over to lead change of any kind.
5 Keys to Winning People Over
1. It’s a trip, not a destination.
If we’re focused on the outcome, we’ll constantly feel the frustration instead of the win. But, if we focus on the people over the project (or the process over the event) relationships will gradually strengthen and each little step will feel like a win on the way to our ultimate goal. Remember, it’s less about technique than it is attitude. Celebrate the first downs along the way to the end zone.
2. It’s not “all or nothing.”
We can’t change everyone and everything all at once. There are going to be several steps forward and a couple steps back along the way. Don’t let that discourage you. It’s like a golf game. You’re going to have some good rounds and some bad ones. When you have a bad round, pick up your gear and move on to the next hole. A bad swing or lost ball never means it’s time to walk off the course.
3. It’s not a single transaction.
Rarely, if ever, is a one-size-fits-all roll-out effective. Some groups require more time than others and what works for one person won’t work with the next. Build in time to navigate through different personalities to discover what motivates and builds trust for each person and group. Pick one or two to invest in first to build trust and create some key, visible wins. It will attract others to the cause and you’ll gradually gain momentum and speed. Along the way, build ongoing checkpoints into the process to keep processing the wins, the struggles and the cost of standing still.
