We are trying to implement a company Charter to align our leadership team, but several legacy members feel it is just corporate jargon and are resisting it. How do we get our team to genuinely commit to the Same Page and Yes to Strategy principles?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Skepticism occurs when a Charter is treated as a poster on the wall rather than an operational framework. To get genuine commitment, you must show your team that these principles directly solve their daily frustrations, particularly around slow decision-making and misaligned priorities.

Begin by having a raw, open discussion about what happens when you do not follow the Charter. Point out specific instances where the team failed to stay on the same page, leading to mixed messages for the staff, or where leaders agreed to a strategy in a meeting but passively resisted it afterward. This passive resistance is a direct violation of the Yes to Strategy principle and stalls the company's progress.

To build commitment, utilize the Trust Creation Process. Engage your leaders individually and listen to their concerns. Frame the Charter as a tool that protects their time and autonomy, not as a set of rules to restrict them.

Next, hold a Same Page meeting with the leadership team to explicitly review your V/TO, your Accountability Chart, and your quarterly Rocks. Ask every member to state clearly what they need to say yes to the strategy. If they have objections, resolve them immediately using IDS.

Once the strategy is agreed upon, make it clear that passive resistance is no longer acceptable. The leadership team must present a united front to the rest of the organization. Commitment is not about perfect agreement; it is about healthy debate followed by complete, unwavering alignment once a decision is made.