Getting Executive Buy-In
03/26/08 11:49 AM

Hello All,

What is the best way (in your experience) of getting executive buy-in for the Balanced Scorecard process? I've been working with my core team for a while now, and while there are a number of executives that are motivated, there are a number that just don't seem to care or get involved. How can I get them interested in the project and make them champions?

Thanks.

Samesh

RE: Getting Executive Buy-In
03/26/08 12:01 PM

Samesh,

I think there are two approaches, the Carrot or the Stick.

With the carrot, you need to determine what motivates that particular executive. Then think about how you can reframe the BSC concept to show them the benefits that might be particularly helpful in their everyday job. Sometimes this means elevating the BSC story to the conceptual level, and other times it means drilling right down to specific measures and initiatives that affect them. It really depends on the executive and their particular issue. Usually the issue is "what's in it for me?" So try to walk a few steps in their shoes and think of how the BSC will help them specifically.

With the stick, and this depends on your leadership team, you should just start having your management meetings. If certain executives show up unprepared or disinterested, have the CEO or president (or division head), demand particiaption. Sometimes the un-inspired executive will jump in line. Other times, they will be embarrassed about the lack of preparation. That is your hope, so that next time, they will participate actively in the BSC and strategy management process. Of course the third option is that they realize that this is not a place where they have a long term fit.

Personally, I think it is a combination of the two approaches above. First, try to put the benefits of the BSC in the perspective of the person who needs to buy into the process, and second, don't let that hold you up. You should still have management meetings and model the behavior you expect the organization to have when managing with the BSC.

Good Luck, I'd be interested in hearing other responses.

Ted

RE: Getting Executive Buy-In
04/04/08 10:29 AM

Samesh -- The big thing for us was to make sure that the BSC meetings were not "just another meeting" that the exec team needed to attend. The meetings have to replace other meetings and simplify the executive's life (like Ted said, "what's in it for me" -- and getting time back on a calendar is the ultimate WIFM for an executive.) We made sure our meetings were strategic, that they replaced other meetings, and that they started and ended on time (and had cookies). They were successful from almost the outset. -- Tina

RE: Getting Executive Buy-In
04/24/08 2:57 PM

I was just reading the book "Scorecard Best Practices" (Lawson/Hatch/Desroches), and they say that executive buy-in is critical. It was one of the 4 reasons for failure in a study referenced in the book. In our organization, it usually works to get one exec. to champion the program and to recruit that executive off line our outside of a group environment.

Kim

RE: Getting Executive Buy-In
06/19/08 9:12 AM

My experience is the same. We have a BSC at the enterprise and two divisions. One of our divisions is not seeing the benefit because the top executives are just reporting and not using the framework to manage with.

RE: Getting Executive Buy-In
08/20/08 8:58 AM

What if a leadership team is bought into the idea of just a measurement system? They seem to understand that measures are good (maybe even trendy - no pun intended), but I'm not sure they see the integrated approach that is talked about on these discussion boards.
-Martin