Money (or some other
problem a proposal-
does not address) is
the only real issue.
You’re implying that
we’ve been failing!!
What’s the hidden
agenda here?� What
about this, and that,
and this, and that…?�
Your proposal goes
too far. Your proposal
doesn’t go far enough.
You have a chicken
and egg problem. We
can’t afford to do that.
You can’t have it both
ways. It’s just too
much work to do this.
Won’t work here, we’re
different. It puts us on
a slippery slope. We
can’t afford this. You’ll
never convince enough
people. We’re simply
not equipped to do this.
It’s too simplistic to
work. No one else does
this. You can’t have it
oth ways. Tried that
efore—�didn’t work. We
can’t afford before—�
didn’t work. It’s too
difficult to understand.
Good idea, but the
timing is wrong. Won’t
work here, we’re dif-
ferent. It puts us on
a slippery slope. We
can’t afford this. You’ll
never convince enough
people. We’re simply
not equipped to do this.
It’s too simplistic to
work. No one else does
this. What’s the hidden
agenda here?� What
about this, and that,
and this, and that…?�
Your proposal goes too
far. You have a chicken
and egg problem.
You’re abandoning our
core values. It’s too
simplistic to work. No
one else does this. You
can’t hawon’t work.
help them grasp your proposal’s value. And you’ll
secure their commitment to implementing the
solution—�winning their minds and hearts.
Smart, practical, and
imming with useful
advice, Buy-In equips you to anticipate attacks
and turn them to your advantage—�so your good
idea survives to make a positive change.
John P. Kotter is the Konosuke Matsushita
Professor of Leadership, Emeritus, at Harvard
Business School. He is widely considered
the world’s foremost authority on leadership
and change. He is the founder of Kotter
International, a firm designed to guide global
leaders in transformational leadership. He lives
in Cam
idge, Massachusetts.
Lorne A. WhiteheAd is Leader of Education
Innovation at the University of British Columbia,
where he is also the NSERC/3M Chairholder in
the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.
(Continued from front flap)
Jacket design: Stephani Finks
Get inspired. Stay informed. Join the discussion.
Visit www.h
.org
ooks
*For more information about this book visit www.kotterinternational.com
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What’s the hidden agenda here? What
about this, and that, and this, and that…?
Your proposal goes too far. You have a
chicken and egg problem. You’re
abandoning our core values. It’s oo
simplistic to work. No one else does
You can’t hawon’t work.
We’ve been successful, why change?
Money (or some other problem a proposal
does not address) is the only real issue. You’re implying
that we’ve been failing!! What’s the hidden agenda here?
What about this, and that, and this, and that…? Your proposal
goes too far. Your proposal doesn’t go far enough. You
have a chicken and egg problem. We can’t afford to do that.
XXXXXXXXXXYou can’t have it both ways.
It’s just too much work to do this. Won’t
work here, we’re different. It puts us on
a slippery slope. We can’t afford this. You’ll
never convince enough people. We’re simply
not equipped to do this. It’s too simplistic
to work. No one else does this. You can’t
have it both ways. Tried that before—
didn’t work. We can’t afford
Tried that before—didn’t work. It’s too
difficult to understand. Good idea, but the
timing is wrong. Won’t work here, we’re
different. It puts us on a slippery slope. We
can’t afford this. You’ll never convince
enough people. We’re simply not equipped
to do this. It’s too simplistic to work.
No one else does this.
*saving your
good idea
from getting
shot down
h
a
V
a
d
u
S
in
e
S
S
e
V
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w
p
e
S
S
John P. Kot te
Author of Leading Change and Our Iceberg Is Melting
and lorne a. Whitehead
www.h
.org
ooks
General Management
ISBN XXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXX
“John Kotter has done it again! With coauthor Lorne Whitehead, he offers
extremely savvy advice for innovators and managers on how to sell your ideas.
Buy-In is packed with practical insights and useful techniques.”
—Bill George
Professor of Management Practice, Harvard Business School, and author, True North
“John Kotter is the ultimate authority on change leadership. With this book,
he and Lorne Whitehead
ing the excitement back into the change process
y providing sharp and practical ways to garner support for your ideas that
could make change happen.”
—Sangeeth Varghese
Chairman, LeadCap, and Young Global Leader 2010, World Economic Forum
“In research and education—just as in business—progress is often delayed not
y a shortage of good ideas, but rather because people aren’t convinced to adopt
them. This book will help everyone promote the good ideas that deserve success.”
—Maria Klawe
President, Harvey Mudd College
“This book teaches judolike moves to explain and defend your proposal:
let the bad guys swing at you and use their energy to move your plan forward.
With a fun, fictional story and concise explanation, Kotter and Whitehead make
the techniques clear and simple. I love it!”
—Dave Hitz
Founder and Executive Vice President, NetApp, and author, How to Castrate a Bull:
Unexpected Lessons on Risk, Growth, and Success in Business
“Kotter and Whitehead have written an immensely readable and compelling book
on how to get buy-in for good ideas. Filled with concrete examples and wise
advice, this is a handbook for reformers and a manual for anyone who favors
thoughtful change over risk-averse delay.”
—Lee S. Shulman
President Emeritus, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching,
and Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education Emeritus, Stanford University
“The strategies John Kotter and Lorne Whitehead outline in Buy-In are simple,
direct, and invaluable. Their no-nonsense yet well-reasoned approach produces
eal results that make positive change happen.”
—Aris S. Candris
President and CEO, Westinghouse Electric Company
uy
* in
(Continued on back flap)
Sometimes a good idea isn’t enough.
You believe in a good idea. You know it
could make a crucial difference for you, your
organization, your community. You present it,
hoping for enthusiastic support. Instead, you get
confounding questions, inane comments, and
ve
al bullets. Before you know what’s hit you,
your idea is dead, shot down.
It doesn’t have to be this way, say John Kotter
and Lorne Whitehead. In Buy-In, they reveal how
to protect good ideas and win the support needed
to deliver valuable results. The key?� Understand
the unfair attack strategies that naysayers,
nitpickers, and handwringers deploy with great
success time and time again:
* Death by delay: Endlessly putting off or diverting discussion of your idea until all
momentum is lost
* Confusion: Presenting so much distracting information that confidence
in your proposal dies
* Fear mongering: Sti
ing up i
ational anxieties about your idea
* Character assassination: Undermining your reputation and credibility
Through the device of a fresh and amusing
fictional na
ative, the authors vividly show
how avoiding or attempting to quash attackers
doesn’t work. According to their counterintuitive
approach, it’s far better to respectfully engage
these adversaries and stand your ground with
simple, convincing responses that save the day.
By “inviting in the lions” to critique your idea,
and preparing yourself for what they’ll throw at
you, you’ll capture busy people’s attention. You’ll
US$22.00
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KotterWhitehead12703_Mechanical.indd 1 8/5/10 1:34:11 PM
For the exclusive use of A. GUPTA, 2021.
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uy*in
Kotter 00 i-xii r3 sp 7/12/10 8:44 PM Page i
For the exclusive use of A. GUPTA, 2021.
This document is authorized for use only by ATUL GUPTA in 2021.
Kotter 00 i-xii r3 sp 7/12/10 8:44 PM Page ii
For the exclusive use of A. GUPTA, 2021.
This document is authorized for use only by ATUL GUPTA in 2021.
What’s the hidden agenda here? What
about this, and that, and this, and that…?
Your proposal goes too far. You have a
chicken and egg problem. You’re
abandoning our core values. It’s oo
simplistic to work. No one else does
You can’t hawon’t work.
We’ve been successful, why ch
Money (or some other problem a
does not address) is the only real issue. Y
that we’ve been failing!! What’s the hidd
What about this, and that, and this, and tha
goes too far. Your proposal doesn’t go f
have a chicken and egg problem. We can’
XXXXXXXXXXYou can’t have it bot
It’s just too much work t
work here, we’re differe
a slippery slope. We can’t
never convince enough pe
not equipped to do this.
to work. No one else doe
have it both ways. Trie
didn’t work. We ca
Tried that before—didn’t work. It’s too
difficult to understand. Good idea,