Getting Management Buy-in

Almost everyone has had the experience of having to convince senior management - or worse - the board of directors to spend money on business continuity or BC testing. Some of us failed to make the case, so this week we are looking at different tactics you can use to win the buy-in of the folks at the top to your project. If you have ideas of your own that worked for you let us know and we might just include them in a future issue.

Perhaps these three steps can help you generate buy-in. (Item #1)   How do you convince management to get 100% behind BC planning? (Item #2)   Here's some help for getting the boardroom buy-in you need. (Item #3)  

You have to do your homework to get the management support you need. (Item #4)   Here are three different perspectives on getting management buy-in. (Item #5)   Is executive buy-in enough? (Item #6)  

As always, we look forward to hearing your comments & insights regarding business continuity. If you have a topic you'd like us to cover, email me at [email protected].

Bob Mellinger, President
Attainium Corp

1. No More Yawns: How Business Continuity Planners Can Generate Buy-in, Ownership, and Participation

For BC planners who are tired of seeing people's eyes glaze over when asked to participate in business continuity activities, Phil Lambert, president of The Center for Continuity Leadership, recommends three steps to generate buy-in: Engage, equip and empower people in the business unit; Simplify the BC process and; Measure results.
http://www.disaster-resource.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=826&Itemid=50

2. How to get management buy-in for business continuity planning

When it comes to implementing a business continuity (BC) plan, it's not in the nature of the organizational hierarchy for support to come from below. Most employees have too many duties and deliverables on their plates to spend much time thinking about business continuity and disaster recovery (BC/DR)-and let's face it, that's not what they were hired for. To gain buy-in across the organization, business continuity planning has to be a directive handed down from the top.
http://www.mir3.com/download-document/the-tips-on-securing-management-buy-in-for-bc-planning

3. How to Get Boardroom Buy-in on Business Continuity

For the person responsible for business continuity (BC), getting board-level commitment can be the biggest obstacle to creating a process to manage an ongoing program of business continuity activities. Even once the initial set of plans are implemented, there can be a lack of understanding about the need to develop business continuity management (BCM) as an ongoing process across all levels of an organization. Involving all users in regular testing can help, but how easy is it to spread the business continuity message and create a culture that ensures that everyone is aware and singing from the same song sheet?
http://www.scmagazine.com/how-to-get-boardroom-buy-in-on-business-continuity/article/30526/

4. Eight Ways to Get Buy-In from Company Executives

In these times of tightened budgets, it is more difficult than ever to get executive approval for capital expenditures. IT managers must do their homework before they make presentations to pitch their projects. Use the following tips to help get your proposals the nod from upper management.
http://www.focus.com/briefs/8-ways-get-buy-in-company-executives/#

5. Three Perspectives for Getting Buy-in From Management

One of the most frustrating and futile exercises throughout the business world is attempting to implement a strategic plan without total management support. All of the thought put into planning and all of the work done though performance management focused on employees cannot replace this essential facet of your organization's strategy: 100% buy in from those at the top.
http://mystrategicplan.com/resources/3-perspectives-for-getting-buy-in-from-management/

6. Executive buy-in? It doesn't end there

A skilled business continuity practitioner is not only proficient in marshalling the resources necessary to keep business moving, but also at 'selling the program.' Without executive buy-in there would be no program to pursue. Without a persuasive business continuity planner extolling the virtues of BC planning to the head office, there would be no executive buy-in and thus, minimal allocation of resources to the program. But is executive buy-in, in and of itself, enough? Simply put: no.
http://www.continuitycentral.com/feature0925.html