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Look for the Win-Win Result

Rarely does a winner-take-all mentality win friends and influence people. To get others to buy into a decision, think “mutually beneficial.”

Leaders in industries such as government, pharmaceuticals, land development, and utilities often find themselves trying to reach consensus decisions with groups that can range from the adversarial to the downright hostile. Those who are successful in partnering with community and activist groups have learned to find the win-win, the decision that provides an equally beneficial result to all parties involved.

This win-win approach can be applied also to interdepartmental decisions. After all, internal decisions are likely to involve people from different divisions and departments with slightly varying agendas, needs, and sensitivities.

But you can’t come to a win-win result flying by the seat of your pants. It takes forethought, honesty, transparency, patience, and reasonable expectations. It also takes compromise—a willingness to give in order to get.

But how do you get there? Again, the magic bullet can be found in doing your homework.