Get leadership buy-in and organization alignment

This article describes a common goal for Power Platform—getting leadership buy-in and organization alignment. It follows a structured framework that includes defining clear objectives, measurable key results, and actionable initiatives. This article aims to guide you in creating your own vision for Power Platform adoption.

Vision

Getting leadership buy-in and organizational alignment is a common vision for Power Platform adoption because it ensures that the initiative has the necessary support and resources to succeed. Leadership buy-in helps secure funding, allocate resources, and prioritize the adoption efforts within the organization. When leaders are on board, they can champion the initiative, drive cultural change, and set the tone for its importance.

Organizational alignment ensures that all departments and teams are working towards the same goals and understand the benefits of Power Platform. It fosters collaboration, reduces resistance to change, and ensures that the platform is used effectively across the organization. With leadership support and organizational alignment, the adoption process becomes smoother, more efficient, and more likely to deliver the desired outcomes, such as increased productivity, innovation, and return on investment (ROI).

Objectives

Objectives are the key themes or focus areas that the strategy aims to achieve. They are broad, overarching goals that align with the organizational vision and priorities. Objectives provide direction and set the stage for the initiatives and key results. Objectives help ensure that everyone in the organization understands what the strategy aims to accomplish and why it's important.

Typical objectives for getting leadership buy-in and organization alignment include:

• Drive organizational improvement: Secure leadership support and align organizational efforts to enhance overall performance and drive continuous improvement.
• Communicate the value of Power Platform effectively and elevate key stakeholder perception: Increase awareness and understanding of Power Platform’s value among key stakeholders through targeted internal marketing campaigns.
• Uphold accountability and realize strategic goals: Empower business units to take ownership of their Power Platform initiatives and align them with strategic goals.
• Encourage leadership to allocate time for upskilling: Ensure that leaders are knowledgeable about Power Platform and its potential benefits.
• Get senior business leaders to advocate for Power Platform: Use the influence of senior leaders to promote the adoption of Power Platform.
• Engage leadership for active sponsorship and governance participation: Secure ongoing leadership support and involvement in the governance of Power Platform.
• Encourage leadership to enable their teams to change the way they work: Provide leaders with easy-to-use resources to support and encourage the adoption of new processes and technologies.

Measurable key results

Key results are specific, quantifiable outcomes that indicate progress towards achieving the strategic objectives. They provide clear benchmarks for success and help in tracking performance. Defining key results is necessary because they offer a way to measure the effectiveness of the initiatives and ensure that the objectives are met. Key results should be realistic, time-bound, and directly linked to the objectives.

Typical key results, aligned with some of the objectives, for getting leadership buy-in and organizational alignment include:

• Ensure that key strategic use cases are built on top of Power Platform, with a target of ___ use cases implemented by the end of the quarter.
• Increase the number of Power Platform projects serviced by central IT to ___ projects per quarter.
• Achieve a ___% increase in the number of business teams that are self-sufficient and can address their business needs quicker without involving IT.
• Establish IT as an ambassador and promoter of low code/no code, with ___% of IT staff trained and actively promoting these technologies.
• Secure executive support to drive cultural change, aiming for ___% of executives actively participating in collaboration, resource sharing, and asset reuse initiatives across the organization.

Key initiatives

Initiatives are the specific actions or projects that need to be implemented to achieve the objectives. They outline what needs to be done in the immediate term, in the next year, and in the next three years. Initiatives provide a roadmap for action and ensure that there's a clear plan to reach the objectives. Initiatives should be actionable, prioritized, and aligned with the key results.

Typical initiatives, aligned with some of the objectives, for getting leadership buy-in and organization alignment include:

• Drive organizational improvement:
  • Engage senior leaders through presentations and discussions that highlight the strategic benefits of Power Platform adoption.
  • Demonstrate how the platform can address specific organizational challenges and contribute to achieving key business objectives.
  • Ensure sustained support and oversight by establishing a governance framework that includes leadership roles and responsibilities.
• Communicate the value of Power Platform effectively and elevate key stakeholder perception:
  • Develop and distribute engaging marketing materials, such as newsletters, infographics, and success stories, that showcase the platform’s capabilities and benefits.
  • Organize workshops, webinars, and demo sessions to provide hands-on experience and demonstrate real-world applications of Power Platform.
  • Use internal communication channels, such as intranet sites, to regularly share updates, best practices, and success stories.
  • Conduct stakeholder analysis to identify key segments and their specific requirements.
  • Develop customized communication plans for each segment, highlighting the benefits and relevance of Power Platform to their roles.
  • Use various communication channels, such as emails, newsletters, webinars, and intranet posts, to reach each segment effectively.
• Uphold accountability and realize strategic goals:
  • Provide training and resources to help business units understand how to use Power Platform effectively.
  • Establish clear metrics and KPIs to measure the success of Power Platform projects and ensure they align with organizational objectives.
  • Create a feedback loop where business units can share their experiences, challenges, and successes, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.
• Encourage leadership to allocate time for upskilling:
  • Schedule dedicated training sessions and workshops for leadership to enhance their understanding of the platform.
  • Provide access to self-paced learning resources and certification programs.
  • Encourage leaders to participate in hands-on sessions to experience the platform’s capabilities firsthand.
• Get senior business leaders to advocate for Power Platform:
  • Identify and engage key business leaders who can serve as champions for the platform.
  • Equip these leaders with success stories, data, and talking points to help them advocate effectively.
  • Recognize and reward leaders who actively promote the platform and contribute to its adoption.
• Engage leadership for active sponsorship and governance participation:
  • Establish a governance committee that includes senior leaders from various departments.
  • Schedule regular meetings to review platform performance, address challenges, and make strategic decisions.
  • Encourage leaders to sponsor specific initiatives and projects, providing visibility and accountability.
• Encourage leadership to enable their teams to change the way they work:
  • Develop concise, user-friendly reference guides that outline key features and benefits of Power Platform.
  • Include practical tips and best practices for integrating Power Platform into daily operations.
  • Distribute these guides to all managers and leaders, and offer follow-up support to address any questions or concerns.