Win/Win

The “L” word

The word “loser” has a certain stigma attached to it, but the truth is none of us like to lose. There have been arguments that losing builds character or there are always hidden lessons from them. While playing any game there is usually a winner, so when we find ourselves on the losing team, we congratulate the winner and make a mental note to try harder the next time. However, it is always easier said than done, how can there be a silver lining after losing?

Creating a Win/Win Situation

Whether you are negotiating a business deal, new employment opportunities, or buying a new vehicle there is a way where everyone could walk away feeling like a winner.
It is all in how you approach the situation and what you can take from it as a learning experience.

Try approaching the situation with a cooperative attitude rather than a competitive one. At the end of the day, not everyone is going to walk away with all their goals or demands intact. But perhaps there is a way to leave with some of them.

Try These Tips 

• Be willing to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, see the situation from another perspective, and be willing to listen.
• Listen to understand instead of listening to give a response. 
• Make sure certain goals and demands are reasonable and that they benefit all parties involved and not just your own.
• Attack the issue and not each other.
• Turn this encounter into a valuable lesson on how to better handle or deal with certain situations next time. 

Benefits of Win/Win

We must go into the negotiations with an open mind and when the negotiations are complete, to make certain we maintain those relationships as well. Attempting to create a win/win scenario allows all parties involved to walk away feeling like some of their goals were accomplished even if not all of them were.

For instance, a soccer game. The team may have lost but focus on the strength, resilience, determination, and dedication shown by each player.

When negotiating salary, a potential employer might offer flexible hours or a four-day workweek rather than meeting your specified salary requirements. Or perhaps a car dealership may not be able to give you that deal of a lifetime you are looking for, but you were able to gain other perks instead!

All in all, it comes down to how you reframe your mind to take a positive approach to circumstances that can change how you view “losing.”

To see more about Seasonal Depression, read this blog.

“In business as in life, you don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate” -Chester L. Karrass