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PRESENTING YOUR PROPOSAL (2)

DIRECTIONS OF MOVEMENT: ON THE SPOT

Push:

Give information, an answer or propose an idea.

Pull:

Draw information from them. Ask a question or ask for more information about what they are looking for. You could ask for an example of what they are asking or clarification of what they mean. Delay your response. Utilise time. Say you will have to find out and come back later, or that you are happy to discuss that outside the meeting, or say you will need time to think. Source your information… an expert, an authority/ decision maker, policy, procedure, law, research… Tell them who they need to speak to or say you will speak to them.

Defer:

Refer:

Remember that you will always have some different ‘directions’ you can go… and hence multiple options of how to respond in a given situation. Think of the model as an ‘arena’ in which you can move around… so you might, for example, push and defer at the same time.

You can also use this model to plan or generate new ideas for ‘next time’: “If I’m in that situation again, I could…”

Example ‘Pull’ Questions:

You may need to place a ‘softener’ in front of some of these questions, depending on your audience. For example: “Just to check…” or “I’m curious…” or “A thought occurs to me…” etc.

Direction • What would need to happen for us/you to…? (or) What needs to happen…? • What (else) do you need (from me)? (or) What do you need in order to…? • How would you prefer to… ?

Handling Blocks •

What, if anything, is in the way to… ?

• Once we have dealt with the matter of X, are you ready to… ?

Dissuasion •

What would happen if we/you did that…? • How might that impact on…? • How might we handle the issue of…?

©2025 Imaginarium Learning & Development

info@imaginariumdev.com

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