Executive Buy-In: More Than Money

What is the one element that guarantees a successful training program? From the boardroom to the break room, from talks of acquisitions to discussions of new vending machines, the term “executive buy-in” seems to be part of every decision-making process. But what does it mean? Executive buy-in involves much more than simply signing a check or handing over a company credit card, especially when it comes to training programs.

In our fast-paced, collaborative work environments, employees want their executives to show up, share their experiences, and use their voices. According to Smarp, the top leadership traits in today’s workplace are transparency and effective communication, and 75 percent of employees expect these qualities in their leaders. Executive buy-in for a training program needs to include two key elements via multiple forms of communication.

First, leaders should deliver a message about need and importance. Your employees are asking themselves these questions when assigned training:

• Why has the organization invested time and money into this training area?

• How does the organization benefit?

• What’s in it for me?

When executives take a more active role in directly addressing these components, employees understand how the training tasks play a critical role in a greater mission.

The second key element for training programs is displaying commitment and value. The executive team is responsible for demonstrating the benefits training provides to an individual’s growth and its impact on creating a safe and compliant culture for the organization. When there is constructive conversation about training programs, employees witness organizational commitment that motivates them to take their assignments seriously.

Another important takeaway is that executive buy-in is not one and done–it requires continuous effort and engagement. Training should be assigned with considered communication, promotion, and fostering to transform executive buy-in into employee and organization-wide buy-in, creating a workforce that is mindful, motivated, and committed to training initiatives.

For a deeper dive, join me at ATD TechKnowledge 2023 for the session: Beyond Assigning: Tips to Increase Campaign Completions.