Is Win-Win the Solution

Sean Covey, following his father’s (Stephen R. Covey) path, wrote a book: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. It guides through 7 crucial habits to help with becoming a successful teen. One of the habits is to think Win-Win. In any conflict, there is always a way to solve it where almost everyone can benefit or is fine with the solution. Thinking Win-Win is beneficial to many people and can help with making friends and maintaining friendship, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes Win-Win is not a win.

Win –Win is an outcome of a few. There is Win-Lose, Lose-win and Lose-Lose. Win-Lose results in a situation where the other person ‘loses’ or doesn't agree with the situation. Lose-Win is a pleaser. It’s essentially: As long as others are pleased, it’s okay to lose. Lose-Lose is when everybody has to lose when and if I don’t win.

Out of the four outcomes, Win-Win is the fairest way out. Everyone will be happy and they won’t feel cheated on or feel that they are less superior. If a group of people can come up with a solution where they all benefit, then no one is left out. If one person ‘loses’ they will feel angry and sad at the same time. Friendship will be severed and revenge could be on the way.

More and more people will continue to work together if they know that most of the time they can find a good solution. Thinking Win-Win, along with the benefits, are also evident in the guidebook: Everyday Leadership by Mariam G. MacGregor. When leaders think Win-Win, people will enjoy following them, knowing that they will get their fair share from the deal. They will have trust in their decisions and are more likely to help out. They won't feel as if they can never profit or feel put down.

I have once heard an idiom that defines the different levels in our society. Fueling the fire, keeping up with the Joneses, tangoing twos. Basically, the ones at the bottom struggle hard to get necessary items. They are ‘fueling the fire’ and taking whatever they can find, trying to push others down so that they can rise.

The middle-class people are ‘keeping up with the Joneses’. They have plenty of what they need, but still feel the urge to get more. They compare their gains to those of their friends and neighbors, only feeling good when they have more. They constantly evaluate the different items of their friends’ and looking down at what they have themselves.

The ones at the top decide to help each other. They connect their forces and help each other rise. They acknowledge the fact that it takes two to tango, so by helping each other, they are safe and stabilized. These people are thinking Win-Win. If one lends a hand to another, then they can win and so can everyone else. The wealthy inhabitants of our world assist each other to continue to increase in sales and power. If they are thinking Win-Win, then should everyone else?

Thus said, Win-Win seems to result in a perfect solution – for a perfect world. Everyone is on board and content, but the modern world isn’t the perfect image. Though there aren’t anymore physical wars, countries are competing against each other for a good economy. There is a lot of business and management of welfare and businessmen take Win-Win as an advantage. They will think Win-Win is an easy way to get what they want. Companies who wish their rivals’ good being do not last long, for there can only be one Apple Inc. and only one Wendy’s. The markets that hope for another’s good sales will probably decrease in sales themselves.

There are also times when the best Win-Win solution isn't fit for everyone. Usually there is at least one person that will not fully benefit. It holds a risk of losing so that most people can win. Also, in all competition activities (such as in school, work, or sports) and there could only be one winner, what would happen? Giving up would be Lose-Win and trying to make others lose would be Lose-Lose. So in this case what would be Win-Win? Not everyone can win everything.

Win-Win is a fair choice for many people but the world isn’t fair. In middle-class business and/or marketing, it is best to first think of yourself. Once the company is stable and strong, then it is well to help others. To become successful, it is important to balance the use of different strategies. With friends, families and neighbours, it’s best to let them all be a winner in everyday conflicts. This way, friendships can remain and new bonds can be created. Yet when in competitive sports and work, try to succeed first before assisting others.



“We win justice quickest by rendering justice to the other party” ~ M. Gandhi