It’s the BIG day. You’re presenting the VISION and STRATEGIC PLAN. You’ve spent the past 6 months preparing for this day. You’ve read all the demographic and statistical information. The vision and action plan are clear. You’ve dotted all your “i’s” and crossed all your “t’s”. You’re pumped, primed and ready. Yet you have this nagging feeling that you’ll get cut off at the knees. Your gut is telling you that there is resistance to your proposal and it’s growing.

As part of your preparation, consider the following questions as a means to discover the major objections that are likely to surface:

• Who is most likely to resist and why? It’s helpful to know ahead of time their story and what those most likely to resist are most concerned about.
• What preconceived notions or ideas already exist about your proposal? What happened the last time? What misinformation exists and what steps can be taken to correct it?
• What matters most to those who are likely to object? What values are at risk in approving this proposal? What would need to happen for them to say yes?
• Who can help you as you deal with resistance? Never underestimate the difference one person can make. Time and time again, one individual can influence a significant number of people.