In this unit, we will focus on securing leadership buy-in for your team's objectives, which is crucial for accessing the necessary resources, authority, and morale boost needed for success.

To get leadership buy-in, align your team's objectives with the broader organizational goals. Demonstrating how your goal supports the company's mission shows strategic thinking. For example, if one of your team's objectives is "improve user experience by reducing load time by 50%", align it with the company's broader goal of "increasing customer satisfaction". This shows that you are contributing directly to what matters most to the organization.

Language significantly impacts your ability to gain buy-in. Using "and" instead of "but" allows for the inclusion of different viewpoints, making your proposals more collaborative. This subtle shift encourages a mindset of cooperation rather than competition.

• Jake: I think our main focus should be improving the app’s speed.
• Chris: I agree that improving the app’s speed is critical, and I'm confident we can also take steps to enhance data security.
• Jake: You are right. We need to address the security concerns as well. Do you think the team has enough bandwidth to do both?
• Chris: If we can make these two goals our main focus, I'm confident we can address both speed and security.

You can also win leadership support by highlighting how successful organizations have used similar approaches. Referencing practices from industry leaders, like how Amazon prioritizes customer feedback, can be particularly persuasive. For example, you might say, "Like Jeff Bezos from Amazon, who emphasizes customer voice, we should prioritize customer needs to enhance our product quality." This strategy leverages well-known successes to strengthen your argument.

This unit focused on aligning with organizational goals, utilizing inclusive language, and presenting proven strategies. These techniques will prepare you for the upcoming role-play sessions, where you will practice persuading leadership to support your team's objectives.