Bright Ideas by ColorVizion Lab is the go-to newsletter for people leaders transforming the talent experience. We answer the tough questions people leaders face daily—with straight talk and real solutions. Desiree Booker, CEO of ColorVizion Lab, answers this week’s question.
❔Question of the week: “How can people leaders get buy-in from senior leadership?”
Most people leaders know what it’s like to have an idea that will solve real workplace challenges, improve employee performance, and strengthen company culture. You’re ready to get things done, but there’s one major roadblock: Securing buy-in from senior leaders.
Leadership buy-in is what turns an idea into a strategic initiative – whether it’s launching a new learning program, revamping onboarding, or pushing for more inclusive hiring practices. Without support, even the best ideas can get sidelined.
So what makes buy-in so hard to secure? It all comes down to one main challenge: Disconnect.
A disconnect in communication, goals, and execution plans is a barrier to alignment and prevents people leaders from building a shared vision that drives real change.
Buy-in also allows people leaders to execute career-defining initiatives. They can build credibility and trust in their roles, making it easier to advocate for their ideas, implement new programs, and take on more professional development opportunities.
📩That’s why ColorVizion Lab is creating a four-part newsletter series designed to help people leaders navigate and grow in an evolving workforce. We’ll explore strategies to secure buy-in, adapt to hybrid work models, lead through uncertainty, and set yourself up for leadership success in 2025.
In this first issue, we’re sharing strategies on how to:
- Align people initiatives with business priorities
- Build relationships with stakeholders from the start
- Turn pushback into growth opportunities
- Highlight quick wins to show progress
- Use storytelling to make your initiatives resonate with leaders
Let’s dive in, and if you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to the Bright Ideas newsletter so you know when our next issue drops.
🔗Align people initiatives with business priorities
To win leadership buy-in, alignment is everything. Leaders need to see a direct link between the company’s people initiatives – from recruitment and learning and development to employee experience programs – and the company’s broader goals. They want to know what’s in it for them.
Only 40 percent of companies say that their learning strategy is aligned with business goals, according to McKinsey & Company.
A lack of communication can cause barriers that prevent alignment and most organizations are missing this link. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. shows that 60 percent of companies do not have long-term internal communications strategies.
To get aligned, start by digging into senior leaders’ top priorities: Is it cost savings? Talent retention? Risk reduction? Tailor your proposal to these focal points.
When it’s time to present your ideas, ground your pitch in the company’s mission, vision, and values. Look through internal resources, strategic plans, annual reports, and news to gain a solid understanding of what the company is prioritizing most right now.
From here, frame your initiatives as a roadmap to hitting those targets. Highlight the skills and mindsets employees will need to help the company achieve its goals, and link your program to key performance metrics and OKRs.
For example, you can show leaders your impact by saying, “After our mentorship program pilot, mentees saw a 35 percent engagement boost and a 25 percent increase in internal mobility within six months. Expanding this company-wide could reduce hiring costs by 20 percent annually.”
By bridging these connections, you’re selling a project and showing leaders how to strengthen the company’s performance and culture.
🔑Key tip: Use AI tools like ChatGPT or Google Gemini to find links between people initiatives and company goals by asking the program to analyze objectives and suggest possible alignments.
🤝Build relationships with stakeholders from the start
When you have influential voices from across the company in your corner, they can bring visibility, resources, and credibility to your efforts, making it more likely that decision-makers will take notice.
But finding and engaging the right stakeholders can be tricky. Here’s where to start:
- Identify people who may have a stake in your initiative, like members of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) or Business Resource Groups (BRGs), who can drive employee advocacy. Talk to leaders from the sales and marketing teams who can see how people initiatives can boost brand reputation.
- Get to know your potential stakeholders, their roles, priorities, and what drives them. Schedule one-on-ones or small group meetings to build rapport and learn about their needs and goals. Loop them in early so their perspectives shape the project from the start. This helps build a sense of ownership and investment in the outcome.
- Keep the connection going with regular updates on your project’s progress to create space for ongoing exchange and feedback.
- Don’t forget to publicly acknowledge their contributions. A little recognition, like a shoutout in a company-wide email or an announcement from leadership, goes a long way in showing appreciation and keeping advocates engaged.
Desiree Booker, CEO of ColorVizion Lab, shares a story of a DEI leader who stood out for her approach to collaboration and recognition. Beyond leading the agency’s global DE&I efforts, she consistently acknowledged and elevated the contributions of internal and external stakeholders, including Desiree’s team.
“She amplified our work at the highest level, sending messages to the CEO, and making sure they knew we were tied to the outcomes of this project,” Desiree says. “She did that for every person who was helping advance her DEI work. That’s part of the reason why she’s been so successful in executing DEI initiatives internally. She has that level of influence and impact.”
🌱Turn pushback into growth opportunities
When you’re pushing for more resources or support for your people initiatives, you might run into some resistance. Don’t let it discourage you. Instead, try approaching the conversation with empathy and curiosity.
When talking to senior leaders, start by confirming that you’re both aiming for the same big-picture goals, like boosting engagement, retaining top talent, or strengthening recruitment.
Then, dig a little deeper by asking questions like, “What would help you feel more confident about moving forward with this?”
Understanding their concerns can help you sharpen your proposal. It’s a chance to see any objections as stepping stones, not setbacks.
This is also the perfect time to pull together proof to strengthen your case. Bring in data from employee engagement surveys, exit interviews, retention stats, and performance metrics. Highlight the qualitative side too, like employee testimonials from surveys and focus groups, insights from performance reviews, and feedback from managers and leaders.
When you present this information to senior leaders, frame your people initiatives as essential steps to making the company more innovative, collaborative, and high-performing. Remember, focus on solutions and outcomes.
Afterward, recap the main points and map out your next steps. Following up consistently not only shows your commitment but also builds trust over time.
🏆Highlight quick wins to show progress
Get in the habit of sharing what’s going well to build momentum and prove your people initiatives are making an impact. Focusing on early successes boosts confidence and strengthens support from leadership.
Here are five solid examples of sharing quick wins:
📈Publicly celebrate internal promotions or lateral moves to highlight employee growth and career development.
🌟Roll out a peer recognition program where employees can highlight each other’s achievements to create a culture of appreciation.
💡Provide immediate, easy-to-access leadership training resources for managers. Follow up with managers to hear what they learned and what they’d find helpful in the future.
🚀Streamline the onboarding process to reduce new hire confusion and increase early engagement. Keep track of how much time you save and share this data with executives.
📊Launch a brief survey to gather input on specific issues like team collaboration or workplace culture, then act on the results.
Share these updates via email, in Town Halls, one-on-one meetings, and in Teams or Slack channels to keep all decision-makers and stakeholders in the loop.
📖Use storytelling to make your initiatives resonate with leaders
To make talent and people initiatives more relatable and actionable for leaders, focus on storytelling. Share real-life examples that highlight the problem, what you did to solve it, and how it led to success. This is what leaders will connect to.
Don’t forget to back up these stories with solid outcomes. Track progress with KPIs, like a boost in productivity or lower turnover, and show how the initiative ties directly to broader business goals, like revenue or customer retention.
Finally, bring your story to life with visuals. A compelling, visually engaging presentation with photos or infographics makes a lasting impact, and a video testimonial can drive home how your people initiatives translate into real-world results.
When you take a human-centered approach, connect your ideas to company goals, and celebrate shared success, you’re more likely to get lasting support from the decision-makers at your company.
📞 People leaders – Ask us anything!
Do you have questions about recruitment, culture building, or employee engagement that no one’s talking about?
Our team wants to hear! Submit your question here and we may dive into it in an upcoming newsletter.
📰 Story of the week: How to handle employees’ election emotions in the workplace
The country will be talking about the outcomes of the 2024 presidential election for some time, including inside the workplace.
Companies can equip managers with scripts and clear expectations on how to handle these conversations to help navigate the stress. Read the full story here.
📩 Does your company have a 2025 communications strategy in place?
Companies that lack an internal communications strategy often see a disconnect between leaders and employees, which can significantly impact retention according to HR Brew.
ColorVizion Lab can help you build internal and external communications plans to bridge this gap, making sure your team stays informed, engaged, and aligned with your company’s vision and values.
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