You want buy-in, so you prepare. That’s fair.

Then you start overthinking it. You write the script in your head. Maybe you even ask AI to help you write it.

Suddenly, preparation turns into a full production:

“I’ll say this.
They’ll push back.
I’ll come back with this.
They’ll probably say that.
Then I’ll really make my point.”

Hello, 3 a.m. dress rehearsal!

Congratulations, you’re now the writer, director, producer, and lead actor in a conversation that hasn’t happened yet.

The problem? The other person never got the script.

While we think we’re preparing, we may actually be getting less present. And there goes buy-in.

In this session, we’ll explore how the scripts we write in our heads get in the way of conversations that require buy-in: feedback, collaboration, and change.

You’ll learn how to prepare without pre-deciding, catch the assumptions you bring into the room, and create the shared ownership real buy-in requires.

Three takeaways

1. Catch the script.
Notice your assumptions before they take over the conversation.

2. Prepare without pre-deciding.
Bring clarity without locking yourself into a monologue.

3. Move from convincing to creating buy-in.
Include others in shaping the next step.