Creating Buy-In For Change In Finance Departments

In 2021, I proposed an initiative I thought was brilliant—it would help my team make faster progress and better leverage each member's unique skills. Brilliant, right? Yet, it didn’t take off. Many ideas or initiatives fail because we struggle to gain buy-in. The reasons for resistance are many, but Rick Maurer simplifies them into three core categories: (1) "I don’t get it" Resistance here is about lack of understanding or information. People may not fully grasp the reasons behind the change, its benefits, or the implementation plan. This often leaves them feeling confused or unsure about the impact. (2) "I don’t like it" This is rooted in a dislike for the change itself. People might feel it disrupts their comfort zones, poses a negative impact, or clashes with personal values or interests. (3) "I don’t like YOU." This is about the messenger, not the message. Distrust or lack of respect for the person initiating the change can create a barrier. It might stem from past experiences, perceived incompetence, or lack of credibility. When I work with leaders to identify which category resistance falls into, the clarity that follows helps us take targeted, practical steps to overcome it. - To address the "I don't get it" challenge, focus on clear, accessible communication. Share the vision, benefits, and roadmap in a way that resonates. Use stories, real-life examples, or data to make the case relatable and tangible. Give people space to ask questions and clarify concerns—often, understanding alone can build alignment. - To address the "I don't like it" challenge, emphasize empathy. Acknowledge potential impacts on routines, comfort zones, or values, and seek input on adjustments that could reduce disruption. If possible, give people a sense of control over aspects of the change; this builds buy-in by involving them directly in shaping the solution. - And to address the "I don't like you" challenge, solving for the other two challenges will help. You can also openly address past issues, if relevant, and demonstrate genuine commitment to transparency and collaboration Effective change isn’t just about the idea—it’s about knowing how to bring people along with you. #change #ideas #initiatives #collaboration #innovation #movingForward #progress #humanBehavior

🚨 𝟲𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗟 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗘 𝗮𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆. Because CFOs forget that spreadsheets don't resist change—people do. Your AP clerk isn't afraid of new software. She's afraid of becoming irrelevant. Your controller isn't resisting month-end acceleration. He's overwhelmed by expectations he doesn't understand. The 𝗔𝗗𝗞𝗔𝗥 framework is the tool that I recommend to use when integrating the finance/accounting for an acquisition. ✅ 𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦: "Why must we change?" (Not just "the PE firm says so") ✅ 𝗗𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗥𝗘: "What's in it for me personally?" ✅ 𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗪𝗟𝗘𝗗𝗚𝗘: Role-specific skill building ✅ 𝗔𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬: Tools and authority to actually perform ✅ 𝗥𝗘𝗜𝗡𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗖𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧: Systems that sustain new behaviors One family manufacturer that I integrated into a PE portfolio: 15-day close to 5-day close in 6 months. Zero turnover. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲? 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘀. 𝗖𝗙𝗢𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗘 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀: 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹'𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝘂𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. Full framework in article ⬇️ #PrivateEquity #CFO #FinanceTransformation #ChangeManagement

When I first started managing client relationships in the early days of Pursuit, I thought once we got a contract signed, the hard work was over. But anyone in the implementation world knows that once you get a client to say “yes”, the real work begins. You have to work with the client to adjust their process to what your service/product provides in order for the client to win. That’s where change management comes in. Change doesn’t happen just because leadership approved a new service or product. The boss might sign off, but they’re not the ones adjusting their workflows and dealing with the impact of the change. So you can't stop at that one relationship or adoption will stall before it even gets off the ground. You have to go deeper and build a web of relationships! You must I.D. the people whose day to day will be impacted by any new change. Their buy-in doesn’t come from an executive decision. It comes from building trust and helping them fully understand why this new thing they can utilize will be good for them. So work to understand their world. ✅ What does this change mean for them? ✅ What challenges does it create? ✅ What pain points are they anticipating? If they see the long-term win, they’ll be the ones pushing the change forward for full adoption.

I recently spoke to a senior leader who told me how frustrated he was when he rolled out a new tool meant to save his time and simplify their work, but weeks later, the team was still using Excel. And it reminded me that when change feels like a threat, your people don’t lean in, they dig in. He couldn’t believe it when he discovered their unwillingness to try something new when it was supposed to help them. So he made a pretty sharp call, and it didn’t land the way he hoped (it rarely does). And I get it, when you’re under pressure to deliver, resistance can feel like defiance but most of the time it’s not. It's disconnection. At 3 Keys Consulting, LLC, we see this all the time. Change fails when it’s not clearly tied to the strategy, or when people can’t see how they fit into either the change or the strategy. If you want adoption, focus here: 🧭 Commitment: Start with the why, and make it unmistakable. Not “this tool is better,” but why it matters now. If it’s not clearly tied to a business priority, it won’t stick. Ex. “We’re doing this to cut down on manual reporting so we can act faster, not just add another system.” 🔍 Clarity: Show what “good” looks like in real work. What gets easier? What goes away? People need to see what success feels like in their day-to-day. Ex. “This means fewer fire drills, less rework, and more time to focus on insights, not spreadsheets.” 🤝 Connection: Bridge the gap between the strategy and their job. Show how it impacts their role, and what stays the same. Ask what’s working and what’s not; then USE that feedback to adjust. This is what turns rollouts into buy-in. Adoption doesn’t come from pressure, it comes from shared understanding and shared ownership. What’s helping (or hurting) the adoption of a change you’re leading right now? __________________________________ If this resonated, give it a like, repost, or follow me, Jessica Jacobs, for more real-world insights on leadership, change, and making strategy move. #ChangeLeadership #OrgEffectiveness #LeadershipDevelopment #DigitalTransformation #PeopleStrategy #MidSizedCompanies #CultureChange #3KeysInsights