Our L&D Trend Report shows that winning over stakeholders and decision-makers is one of the main challenges in people development. In our customer projects, we therefore not only discuss which people development measures are best suited to a particular objective, but we also look at how the relevant stakeholders in the organization can be convinced of the respective measure. Unfortunately, the best people development measures – no matter if training on-the-job like job enrichment, job enlargement, and job rotation, or training off-the-job like seminars and online courses – are useless if decision-makers are not on board. We have put together 10 tips on how you can convince stakeholders of the value of your training or e-learning programs.
10 tips for a successful argumentation
1. Consider the needs of the target group
- Define the target group of your argumentation: Who makes the decision about the people development measure? Who am I trying to convince?
- What is particularly important for the decision-makers? What interests and needs do they have? How can these be aligned with the objectives of people development?
- How can I link my argumentation to these interests and needs?
2. Start with why
- Explain what the underlying problem is that the people development measures are intended to solve or the opportunity that it is intended to utilize.
- Describe in simple words: What is the reason for your initiative?
- Establish a link to the overall corporate strategy.
3. End your argumentation with a call-to-action
- End your presentation with a specific proposal and a clear call to action.
- What specifically should be done? When should it be done?
- Try to get a definite commitment.
4. Deliver a clear message about your people development measures
- Focus on a simple story and a clear message.
- Less is more! Try to break down complex things into simple, target group-oriented messages.
- The SCR framework provides a helpful structure: Situation (what are the framework conditions), Complication (what is the problem), Resolution (what are the possible solutions).
5. Use data, figures, facts, AND spark emotions
- Support your suggestions for the people development measure with quantifiable key figures.
- Spark emotions through storytelling: Don’t just work with dry numbers, but with concrete cases, examples, and personas.
6. Create urgency for your people development measures
- Create urgency: Why must you take action NOW?
- Use “Cost of Delay” functions: What will it cost us (each week/month/year) if we do nothing?
7. Try to estimate the return on investment (ROI) of the people development measures
- Present your people development measures not as a cost but as an investment.
- What resources are required, what is the expected profit or the expected cost saving?
- You can also work with estimates here.
Return-on-Invest (ROI)
- Number of resignations in the past year: 138
- Costs per new recruit: approx. 14,000 € (20 % annual salary)
- Expected effect: 5 % less resignations
- Expected savings: 0.05 * 14,000 € * 138 = 96,600 €
- Cost of the measure: 30,000 €
- ROI = (96,600/30,000)
8. Offer several options to choose from
- Involve your stakeholders in the selection of the measure.
- Give decision-makers the choice of 2-3 concrete options for action.
- This active participation in the decision-making process increases the likelihood of approval and commitment to the decision.
9. Use benchmarking
- Describe how other organizations, for example market competitors, deal with similar challenges.
- Which training formats (e.g. e-learning, blended learning) and other measures do they use?
- What can we learn from them? What can we do better than them?
10. Consciously choose time and setting
- Involve your stakeholders at an early stage and involve them in the development of the concept.
- Find the right time and setting to present your topic.
- Be aware of the importance of informal communication channels: persuasion often takes place outside of the actual pitch.
Would you like more tips and tricks for convincing stakeholders in the context of blended learning formats? Then you might be interested in our blended learning course for people developers. Or join our troodi L&D community and exchange ideas with other People & Culture experts.
