Close the Deal


At the end of each executive presentation ”many of which lasted more than three hours because our audience was so intrigued by the details of our plan ”we asked our audience for their support. We went over our decision and support requirements page and addressed each request one by one ”"Do you think our business drivers are valid?" "Do you agree to support our strategic plan?" "Will you approve our budget request and time commitment?" "Will you participate in the global learning council?" "Will you support the implementation of our plan by being a visible part of the rollouts and learning pilots?"

Don't make the mistake of skipping this step. Asking for management's support is how you close the deal. It gives you the power to move forward, and later, if management rescinds its support in the face of cultural backlash or budget fluctuations, you can remind them of their promise and exactly what they agreed to. That can be a powerful motivator.

We asked for their support and they gave it to us willingly. Every single member of the executive team was supportive, and many complimented us afterward. Several told us that ours was the most comprehensive strategic plan they'd ever seen, not just from a training department but from anywhere .

In the unlikely event you don't win the support of your audience, even if you've followed all of our advice, then you haven't crafted the right business case. Your assumptions were wrong or your sales pitch was ineffectual.




Built to Learn. The Inside Story of How Rockwell Collins Became a True Learning Organization
Built to Learn: The Inside Story of How Rockwell Collins Became a True Learning Organization
ISBN: 0814407722
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 124

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