The acceptance, agreement, and commitment from stakeholders regarding a decision, plan, or initiative. It represents the psychological and emotional investment people make when they support and take ownership of an idea or strategy.
Originally from poker, where 'buying in' meant purchasing chips to join a game. The business sense developed in the 1970s, extending the gambling metaphor where people 'buy in' by investing their support, credibility, and effort rather than just money.
Buy-in is the difference between compliance and commitment - people might follow orders without buy-in, but they won't give their best effort or creative thinking! It's like the difference between renting and owning; when people have buy-in, they treat the project like it's theirs.
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