What If Instead…

Most of the time, we have an agenda, whether it is to close a deal, persuade others to “see the light,” or simply to win.

• What if, instead, we let things unfold at their own pace?
• What if, instead, we seek first to understand?
• What if, instead, we invest in understanding where they are and meet them there?
• What if, instead, we recognize that our stakeholders are individuals for whom “there” may be a different place for each of them?

But wait, you say, isn’t it all about having a plan? Isn’t the goal to win? Perhaps it is, and I wonder if our chances of winning go up when we stop trying to orchestrate the outcome.