By Janet Askew
In the early days of my career as an HR Officer, I watched a textbook rollout of a new performance management system. Executives were briefed, documents drafted, and metrics defined. We even did “show and tell” sessions, complete with role plays.
And yet, despite all the preparation (and my dramatic abilities), it landed with a carpeted thud. Eyes rolled. Confusion reigned. Engagement was minimal. The process became another tick-box exercise. Why? Because we focused on the “what” and the “how”, and completely missed the “why”.
That lesson has stayed with me. In every organisation, no matter how sophisticated the systems or strategy, staff buy-in hinges on one thing: meaning.
Why buy-in matters
Harvard Business School reports that organisations with high employee engagement outperform peers by up to 23% in profitability. When employees commit to business goals and objectives, they’re more motivated and engaged. But engagement isn’t built on form-filling or glossy posters. It’s built on connection, both the human kind and the cognitive kind, that helps people join the dots between purpose and practice.
When employees understand why a process exists, how it reflects organisational values, and what’s in it for them, they shift from reluctant compliance to active commitment. Without that connection, the reaction is predictable: why bother?
And nothing derails change faster than a why bother? attitude.
The SPARK of buy-in
Over the years, I’ve found buy-in grows when we apply a simple framework I call SPARK:
- See the system: Understand the bigger picture and where values show up or get lost.
- Pause for perspective: Create time to reflect and hear diverse voices.
- Ask with curiosity: Invite dialogue rather than dictate.
- Reflect on impact: Evaluate outcomes and adjust.
- Kindle trust: Build credibility through transparency, consistency, and recognition.
This isn’t soft HR fluff. It’s strategic scaffolding that makes culture change stick.
S – see the system
Zoom out before starting. Be clear about where we are and why change is needed. It’s important to challenge assumptions before making costly or unnecessary changes.
What are our values, and do our processes reflect them?
If we claim to value empathy, is feedback restorative or punitive? If we value innovation, do workflows allow experimentation? Mapping exercises with employees help expose misalignments like frequent overtime in a “work-life balance” company, or managers following different rules than employees.
P – pause for perspective
Rushing kills buy-in, while reflection helps surface hidden concerns and the voices that are often unheard. The pressure of deadlines often leads to a hurried or superficial change management approach, but the costs are high.
Encourage people to share stories of when they saw values in action. Use peer-led discussions to test how well decisions align with values. Simple pauses often spark profound insights.
A – ask with curiosity
Values shouldn’t be handed down like commandments, or worse, copied from a consultant’s slide deck! To be meaningful, they must be co-created with the people who live them daily.
Ask five employees to define “trust” and you’ll get five different answers. I often ask, “What does trust look like, sound like, feel like? How will I know when you’ve acted in a trustworthy manner?”
Curiosity is the bridge to alignment. When people feel heard, they engage.
R – reflect on impact
Once values and processes are in play, track their effect. Are behaviours shifting? Are employees more connected?
Use simple tools: pulse checks, quick surveys, or feedback circles. Look at both emotional indicators (trust, belonging) and business metrics (productivity, retention). Adjust early, don’t wait for failure!
K – kindle trust
Trust is at the heart of all relationships; without it, even the best-designed processes collapse.
Kindling trust requires transparency, consistency, recognition, and humility. Celebrate when employees live the values. Acknowledge when leaders slip and commit to better.
Values must be lived, not laminated
If you’ve ever had to light a fire in the bush, you will know how quickly the spark can flutter and die. It requires nurturing and constant fuelling, but when the fire takes and you can sit back to enjoy the warmth and a hot meal, there’s enormous satisfaction.
The performance management system I saw years ago wasn’t flawed in design, but in delivery. We failed to link it to purpose, to values, and to people’s daily work.
Today, I see organisations across industries making the same mistake. They have the systems and metrics, but without meaning and leadership commitment, momentum fizzles.
Janet Askew is Co-Founder and Director, Allardyce Academy
