Prepare step of the Encounter Process

‘No plan ever survived contact with the enemy,’ is a popular military saying, and it may often seem that time spent preparing an encounter is wasted. By taking this thought process a little further, however, Dwight Eisenhower helps us to understand the value of the Prepare step: ‘In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable’.

For example, just a minute or two’s thought before picking up the telephone can make a big difference to the outcome of a call. In all cases, encounter preparation time must be greater than zero, even if the actual amount varies widely, according to the importance of the event.

A great place to start is the MAP tool for preparing encounters of any length or complexity.

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More about The Encounter Process:

• The Encounter Process top
• The Encounter is a Theory We Use
• Challenge example: it isn’t just about relationships – process matters too
• Challenge example: jumping ahead too quickly
• The Obstacle Course
• The Encounter Process explained
• Prepare step of the Encounter Process
• Engage step of the Encounter Process
• Do step of the Encounter Process
• Check step of the Encounter Process
• Follow Up step of the Encounter Process
• The Encounter Process in brief

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