When was the last time you shared an idea or a vision for a project with someone and they just ‘got it’? They immediately saw the importance, and were able to contribute ideas and enthusiasm about getting to the next steps and the ultimate goal. It’s as if you’re both standing side by side looking out at the same possibility or prize and when you turn and look at each other you both have that realisation that ‘you see it too!’
And then there’s the times when you have all the right people around the table, they bring the right experience, and perhaps the right job titles to the issue at hand, but it’s like walking through treacle. There’s a lot of talk but nothing actually happens.
Different projects need different types of sponsors and collaborators. Often the ‘go-to’ people for that sponsorship or collaboration are senior and experienced with established and recognised expertise in the topic at hand. That type of endorsement and buy-in can be crucial to achieve credibility and deliver effective outcomes. But every so often there’s a project that really flies without your usual ‘go-to’ people, because those 'go-to' people didn’t buy-in to it or ‘get it’. The people who are in the proverbial room are there because they are excited by the project, and see the value of it and are keen to deliver on it. It can feel like a high risk strategy because it’s not the conventional way. But we’re beginning to see the potential for extraordinary outcomes when we create these kinds of settings.
It can be tempting to think that to achieve a goal, whether that’s developing a new initiative, or changing a system or process, that you need to have all the ‘right’ people behind it and in agreement. The ‘right’ people are often the people with a particular expertise that is relevant to the topic, a certain level of seniority and visibility, the people who we perceive to have the ability to influence key audiences in relevant ways. This can be a brilliant way to achieve a goal - the G7 meetings that establish international collaboration on key issues such as net zero are a great example. It’s really important in ambitious projects to have the buy-in of credible, senior leaders who are highly visible and able to influence policy, set agendas within their team or organisation and mobilise action.
But sometimes great ideas or visions of the possible need a different type of consortium. Sometimes there are ideas that may not fit the existing infrastructure, or they're ideas focussed on solving a problem that isn’t generally recognised as a sufficiently urgent problem.  In those situations the ‘right’ 'go-to' people may not be who you need. In those situations, it might be that you need to find ‘the band of the willing’.
What is the ‘band of the willing’?
The ‘band of the willing’ are the people that you speak to and they just ‘get it’. They see the problem too, and they’re up for having a go at tackling it. They are the people who can see the challenges but they don’t use those challenges as a way of dismissing the heart of the idea, rather they see them as hurdles to tackle and navigate. Essentially, they are people who are willing to give time and energy to working with you, going on a journey of discovery and are excited about the possibilities. They’re often coming to the idea as a side project that’s not part of their day job. It’s a pretty energising and fun way to work. Some of these people could be the ‘right’ usual 'go-to' people, but many of them won’t be.
What isn’t it?
It’s not to say that if you have a great idea that you don’t make the time to carefully craft it and go out to a broad range of people to listen and gain other perspectives and points of view that offer feedback and help to evolve the idea and refine it. It’s also not to say that you don’t pitch the idea to key ‘right’ people and seek to persuade them of the importance of the project and viability. At the end of the day pretty much every idea benefits from going through rounds of revision and considering it from multiple perspectives. However, when it’s ready to move forward, that’s the moment to think carefully about how to move forward. Some projects will blossom and flourish with the conventional group of the ‘right’ 'go-to' people. Other projects will end up in a side road and die if that path is taken. In those instances, being brave and opting for the band of the willing is risky but it can pay huge dividends.
Why working with the ‘band of the willing’ is so great
Working with the band of the willing can transform the work you’re doing. It can be enjoyable as you work with people who have a shared goal, who all bring energy and excitement about achieving that goal, and a hunger to see results. It also means that you can pour your energy into getting things done rather than putting it into persuading the people that don’t ‘get it’ and who are unlikely to change their minds.
Getting the band together
So how do you find the band of the willing? Share ideas with a broad range of people, the people that appear to be the ‘right’ 'go-to' people and those that on first thought don’t seem to fit that mould, to identify the people who ‘get it’. Learn from them, take on board their perspectives and feedback and refine the idea or project. Then you can focus your energy where it will make a difference - go where the energy is. It’s also perhaps not surprising that this opens up opportunities to be part of the band of the willing for others, and that is a great way of ensuring that life is full of interesting ideas and people, and that the next great idea will be just around the corner.
little BIG idea
A little summary of this big idea using the 1000 most common words
Often things get done when people who have power and the right job are part of it. But sometimes those people don’t 'get' an idea or want to help. You need to find people who do 'get it' even though they may not have power or the right job. It’ll often be really fun working with these people because they share your love for the thing you’re doing!