Work with Me

CHAPTER 2 MINDSET Imagine what's possible

‘The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.’ Ralph Waldo Emerson

How do you feel about the idea of buy-in as a preferred way of making things happen? Does it make perfect sense? Or does it seem more natural to you to just do what the boss says? Perhaps there's a little (or not so little) voice in your head that's saying, Sure, but how good would it be if I could just tell everyone what to do! Life would be just so much easier …

The culture you've grown up in has a big part to play in whether you relate more to the ‘decree’ (top-down) or ‘win me’ (collaborative) approach we discussed in the previous chapter. For example, certain countries operate to a very formal, hierarchical norm, while others have a far more informal, egalitarian norm.¹ Cultural norms can also come from your family upbringing, not to mention your previous workplaces and their organisational cultures. All of these experiences are likely to shape your assumptions about the roles of authority and autonomy in the workplace.

In table 2.1 we take a closer look at the differences between the two approaches.

Table 2.1: ‘decree’ versus ‘win me’

Approach	‘Decree'	‘Win me!'
Purpose	Ensure compliance	vs	Generate buy-in
Outcome	People do things because they have to	vs	People do things because they want to
Sources of power	Hierarchy, authority, carrots and sticks	vs	The merit of your ideas Your personal ability to build trust and generate ...