Communication Strategies for Gaining Executive Buy-in

In the current regulatory environment, contracts departments are more important than ever. As the sole human repository of promises made or received by a company, the contracts team is a logical place to focus for good corporate governance. The increasing globalization of business also contributes to the importance of modern contracting organizations. As business crosses borders, and therefore increases in complexity, a well documented agreement under active management is critical to the success of the company.

During the last five years, these factors generated increased interest in contract lifecycle management and the contract management software necessary to turn a great team into a world-class organization. Despite this interest, and the proven benefits of contract lifecycle management software, many contract leaders struggle to obtain budget and executive buy-in for implementation. The key reason for this usually starts with a difference in mindsets, and can be complicated by differences in communication style.