Condition of Transaction: Contract

I

When Primary transactions reach the Contract phase, the mood, attitude and mental state of those involved are almost certain to change. The transaction begins to transform from being a dialog about something that is possible to a dialog about something that must be acted on. The reality of the transaction in terms of obligation and sacrifice (what may be lost if the transaction continues) confronts the mental constructs formed during the Invitation and Presentation of the offer.

The world of possibilities and futures as solutions to breakdowns begins to narrow into a kind of confrontation of reality. Generally speaking, the transaction moves into a phase that forces the parties to bring an imagined world that exists in the mind, into the objective world of new or different threats, consequences, obligations and sacrifices. If the opportunity and/or threat articulated in the conceptual stratosphere of possibility are accepted as valid solutions by a potential customer, then the offer must survive a kind of reentry – back to earth so to speak – as the transaction becomes more grounded. It becomes ‘real’ as terms and conditions for behavior narrow into a defined set of promises to act or not act.

The Contract phase is a kind of “meeting of the minds.” Prior to Contract, the parties involved hold certain narratives or expectations in their minds for how the transaction will fulfill on the promises made. All parties are seeking to satisfy certain Conditions of Life through the transaction. They imagine that the other will act in a certain way and that they will keep their promises. They imagine what is expected of them and Invent narratives for how they see themselves acting in the process. They bring all their knowledge and experience with them as they move into the Contract Phase.

Given that the Contract functions as the articulation of the objective steps that each party agrees to take to fulfill their side of the transaction, it may or may not coalesce with the narratives held by the other parties to the Contract. The narratives each party hold are now measured against the objectivity and definitiveness of the Contract. The parties are confronted with the reality of a specific process for acting, and their willingness to accept the Contract terms, obligations and sacrifices depends greatly on how far removed their notions are from the terms articulated in the Contract. What occurs is often a confrontation between their narratives, their imagination, their subjective view of the world prior to being confined by the terms and conditions of the Contract, and the Contract itself. These must coalesce for there to be a “meeting of the minds.”

Until this meeting of the minds occurs, no effective action takes place. We define power as organized effort. Power in the marketplace is the organized and coordinated effort of others to perform specific and effective action. The Contract Phase serves many purposes as it transforms the subjective world of possibility into an objective world of coordinated and specific action – and allows for the organized effort of many to produce the outcome intended by all parties.

As you expand on your understanding and appreciation of the importance of the Contract Phase, you will notice new ways to think about how to use it to move your transactions more effectively. The Contract itself serves many purposes beyond those that are generally known and accepted – that being the legal construct on which the transaction holds its authority, enforceability and viability. The following is provided to support your thinking as you consider the work you will do on the Thirteen Steps and Inventing Contracts in this Study.

Keep in mind that you are ‘Inventing’ and the moods and attitudes appropriate for Invention are subjective and imaginative. Considering Contracts as a transaction will take some reorientation for some. There are objective requirements that make a contract a legal and powerful element to transacting in the marketplace – so we will begin with these first. But our intention here is to build a transaction called Contract – which includes far more important elements to gaining compliance than is generally considered. This may require some new thinking, study and practice on your part.

A word of caution – do not allow yourself to fall into bad moods or despair over transactions where you have not properly or accurately Contracted. You may find through this study that you have not or are not moving powerfully as a result of your lack of knowledge and practice with Contracts. If you allow yourself to fall into moods of regret or worse, you will miss the opportunity of learning. There will be plenty of time to reconsider any transactions you are currently in and any action you take now, before you have gained the specialized knowledge of this program and are prepared to transact powerfully, is a mistake. Do not take any action that threatens your well being, Career, or financial situation until you are prepared to transact effectively for a more advantageous situation.