If we want to see our goals achieved we have to negotiate the plan with those that will influence the outcome.
Do you negotiate your plans?
Over the last four posts I have been going through some lessons Daniel, a character from the Bible, has taught me about achieving goals. This is the final post in this series.
In Daniel’s story we find him making a goal of not eating the Kings food. It wasn’t so much the food that was the problem it was the significance of eating this food. It would have meant that Daniel was saying to the whole world that he was aligning himself with the pagan worship of idols of which the food had been offered to.
So Daniel made a plan to achieve his goal.
A goal without a plan is just a wish.― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Daniel couldn’t rely on just wishing that his goal would be achieved. He didn’t sit back and hope and pray that his goals would be achieved. Instead he formed a plan.
I call it his S.TA.N. plan
Simple to understand by all
Timed for a Review
Aimed at a Deep Value
Negotiated with Key Others.
5. Lesson Number Five. Your plan needs to be Negotiated with Key Others.
Daniel negotiated the plan with the palace master. If Daniel was going to be successful with this plan and achieve his goal he was going to have to get permission and support from those he was in relationship with.
Here is the tricky part. We like to be in control of our lives, we don’t like to have to depend on others views and influences of what we are planning. We have a natural bent towards independence, rather than interdependence, but if we look further at this passage we see that God was at work in the relationship Daniel had with the Palace Master.
Now God allowed Daniel to receive favor and compassion from the palace master. Daniel 1:9
If we dig a little deeper into the Hebrew of this passage we discover something of the quality of this relationship. The two words used to describe how the palace master viewed Daniel were kindness and tender love.
kindness – especially as extended to the lowly, needy and miserable
tender love – a compassion, brotherly feeling, of those born from same womb
God was at work in forming the relationship between Daniel and the Palace Master.
Because this relationship had already been fostered and developed into something akin to brotherhood, the Palace Master felt secure and was easily able to trust Daniels motives.
So God was at work in the relationships that held the power of success or failure.
How do we negotiate our plan with others
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Pray. Daniels plan was embraced because God was already at work in the relationship. Daniel was a man of prayer, calling on God to help him in everything.
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Face your fears and go for it.
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List out all those that will be involved in the plan.
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Go to the key influencers and discuss your plan. Remember it has to be simple to understand, timed for review, and aimed at something of deep value to you.
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Ask them for feedback. What they like, don’t like, ideas to help the plan succeed.
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Rewrite the plan, if needed, incorporating their feedback
If we want to see our goals achieved we have to negotiate the plan with those that will influence the outcome.
Some quotes to consider
Sometimes you just need a ‘big’ person to give you permission to fail, or to quit. We all need a kindly mentor to remind us that not all of our expectations are realistic.” David Riddell
During a negotiation, it would be wise not to take anything personally. If you leave personalities out of it, you will be able to see opportunities more objectively.Brian Koslow
It is better having one person working with you, than three working for you. Unknown
No one can whistle a symphony. It takes an orchestra to play it. -Halford E Luccock
We will surely get to our destination if we join hands. – Aung San Suu Kyi
The momentum in a group can help you progress in a way you can never achieve on your own. To achieve your goal, first link-up with those who are like-minded. David Riddell
Do not be someone who does not hear others or God because you only want to make your own point and pursue your own personal goals. Larry Crabb
Questions to consider and leave a comment
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Why do we have a natural bent towards independence rather than interdependence?
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Who are the key influencers to the success of your plans?
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What can be gained by involving others?
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What can be potentially at threat if you involve others?
For the previous posts on this topic check out these links
Part One; Part Two; Part Three Part Four
Barry Pearman
Photo Credit: Florian SEROUSSI via Compfight cc
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