Winning commitment to a project is a real challenge, especially when you are dealing with a team of your peers. Here are some approaches to get them to buy into the process:

1. Make sure you know exactly what commitment is required before you try to sell the project to your team. If you are confused about it, you will lose credibility with the group.

2. Set up a team meeting and explain the project to the team members. Be sure to give a clear picture of the desired outcome.

3. Sell the benefits of completing the project on time and within the budget.

4. Listen respectfully to your colleagues' legitimate concerns. Show that you understand their feelings.

5. Evaluate the strength of the team's buy-in. Record members' concerns on a flip chart to ensure that everyone understands the issues.

6. Work with your team to remove obstacles to success. Ask for ideas for solving problems that the team can handle, and offer your own ideas for areas where you have control.

7. Get the team as a whole to work out criteria for measuring progress and determining when the project goal has been reached.

8. Determine the long- and shorter-term goals of the project, and get them approved by the appropriate level(s) of management.

9. Get team members to describe how their efforts will contribute to reaching goals, and find out what they expect of their colleagues.

10. Have each team member confirm his or her commitment to the project. When procedures and steps have been agreed upon, write up action plans (who, what, and by when) in the minutes and circulate copies to all members