Many people do not even suspect the existence of the principle of "vin-vin". It helps to achieve mutual benefits, and therefore can be useful in various areas of life. But applying it is not so simple. What this principle is and how to use it can be found in this publication.
The meaning of the principle
To understand this principle, you should first turn to its translation. Win from English can be interpreted as “win”, “win”, “receive”, “achieve”, “conquer”. Consequently, the double win-win design means win-win or mutual benefit.
Modern businessmen are increasingly coming to the conclusion that suppressing competitors is not always effective, just like using partners for their own purposes. There are times when the other side must also win. This way you can improve interaction, and then reap the benefits of successful collaboration.
It all started in the 1950s when John Nash, an American mathematician, published his revolutionary work. In them, he talked about games with a non-zero system, in which all participants either lose or win. Further, another American, Stephen Covey, continued to develop mutually beneficial cooperation. In 1989, he published a book on performance, in which he talked about the win-win strategy. The translation of the book into Russian appeared much later, but its content has not lost its relevance to this day.
Vin-vin is a strategy based on cooperation, effective interdependence. In the negotiation process, the interests of all parties are taken into account, and a solution is found in which everyone benefits. Thanks to this technique, even potential competitors can become partners. The principle can be applied not only in business, but also in relations with colleagues, relatives, friends and children.
Why is compromise worse than cooperation?
In a conflict of interest, compromise is not the best strategy. It involves mutual concessions and the search for an alternative solution. Of course, you can sacrifice something, but often there are feelings of dissatisfaction and disappointment.
It’s better not to concentrate on the assignment, but try to be flexible, creative and find benefits for both parties. That is, you need to apply the principle of "vin-vin". In business, this is especially true, because it is much more effective to strive for long-term relationships. If you only give and don’t take anything in return, you can become bankrupt. Therefore, charity and compromise are not always appropriate.
Necessary qualities for the implementation of the principle
Successfully practice the philosophy of "wines-wines" can a person who has some qualities and skills. These include the following:
- Internal coherence, integrity of personality.
- Maturity. This is a balance between sensitivity and courage. A mature person not only knows how to defend his point of view. He is sympathetic to others and respects other people's interests.
- The mentality of sufficiency. According to this paradigm, in the world everything is enough for everyone. A person who considers life, from this point of view, sincerely wants to share his recognition, benefits and his profit.
- Active listening. The opponent must feel that they are not just listening, but are hearing and understanding. Only in this case can confidence be gained.
In addition, you must understand that the modern world is a world of interdependence. For example, if you choose a business strategy for suppressing a competitor, you can only make enemies. And this, in turn, paves the way for further defeat of the company.
Stages of implementation of the principle
Acting in the spirit of “vin-vin” means carefully considering the situation. To do this, you need to go through several stages:
- It is necessary to decide whether it is possible to use the principle of “vin-vin” in general in a specific situation. For example, this strategy will not work if the opponent is aggressive and is not going to give up their positions. In this case, the situation is likely to turn in the direction of "win-lose."
- The second step will be to clarify the possibility of winning an opponent. This is not so easy. Often people talk only about their positions, but forget about the overall result. It is important to calculate the double win in order to offer a third solution that suits both parties.
- At the last stage, you need to decide which way to go. To do this, show your partner what exactly reduces his winnings and what multiplies them.
Errors in applying the principle
Many, when they are just learning to use the business strategy of “wines,” make one common mistake. People begin to make concessions, trying to reach a compromise solution. But in this case the opposite result is obtained. Concessions lead to a win-lose result. A compromise is generally a loss of benefit for both parties.
The “win-win” principle is the most effective because it is designed for the long term. But it is quite energy-consuming, because you need to negotiate for a long time, show mutual respect, understanding and monitor your speech.
Negotiation Preparation
Today, situations when you meet a person for the first and last time are quite rare. This is especially true for the business sector. The lion's share of profit is brought by regular customers. Therefore, each meeting should be perceived as the first in an endless chain of relationships. In order for the situation to turn in the direction of “wines-wines”, it is necessary to prepare for negotiations. To do this, before the meeting, you should ask yourself a number of questions.
- What are the desired outcomes of the negotiations?
- What can an opponent want?
- Is there an alternative solution if I can’t agree?
- Will there be other options for a partner?
- What is permissible and what is not in the opponent’s alternative offers?
- What threatens failure, how will it affect you in the future?
- From what moment can negotiations become unprofitable for you?
- In what cases will a meeting become uninteresting to a partner? What will he surely accept, and what will he refuse?
These and other questions should be asked before each meeting. This will make negotiations more successful, because there will already be some kind of plan in mind.
How to conduct a dialogue
First of all, the principle of win-win implies mutual respect. It is easier to manifest if you follow the following negotiation scheme:
- Welcome moment.
- Sounding conditions and a circle of problems.
- Putting your point of view on the issues raised.
- Listening to your opponent.
- Search for mutual benefits.
- Coming to a common solution.
In the negotiation process, it is important to always think about overall success, and not just about your own. Only in this case can a successful result be achieved. If the dialogue does not stick in any way or leads to someone else’s failure, then it is worthwhile to show maximum diplomacy and focus on the satisfaction of common interests.
If one of the parties does not think about the interests of the other side, then the probability of success of the Win-Win negotiation strategy tends to zero. Selfishness is normal, but it should not be a priority.
How to create a suitable atmosphere for negotiations?
In order to be able to successfully apply the principle of “vin-vin”, the opponent must feel comfortable during the conversation. This can be achieved using the following techniques:
- Remind your opponent regularly about common interests.
- Continuously demonstrate understanding and respect.
- Use trusted forms of communication.
- Apply active listening technique.
- To joke, but not to abuse it.
- Talk about practical examples.
The subtleties of applying the principle in business
If you need to sell something, you should look for those who are profitable to buy this product. And you need to find those who themselves feel the need for it. Imposing your product is extremely inefficient. You can consider an example. The company sells plastic windows. She should look for customers in areas where there are many houses with old wooden frames. It will be completely pointless to waste your time if you try to sell your product to those who already have modern windows.
The principle of “wine-wines” in sales means that each side always wins. Moreover, it should be equivalent. Otherwise, the potential buyer may go to the competitor who offers the best benefit. Therefore, it is worth periodically studying the market for similar goods or services, and based on the information received, think through your more advanced strategy.
Family success also affects business success. Therefore, the principle of double winnings should be used in relations with relatives (parents, children, spouse). Support for loved ones inspires hope and helps to develop their own business.
How to turn a win-lose situation into win-win?
This question is easiest to consider using an example. The first side is the owner of the toy store. The more he sells, the higher his profit will be. The second side is the buyer in the person of the boy. He was given money. On them, he wants to buy a robot that he had long dreamed of.
The boy receives a toy, the owner - a profit, and everyone is satisfied. But the store may not have the right robot, then both sides will be the loser. Using win-win techniques can help here. The situation can be developed in several ways. For example, a store may interest the boy with another toy, or offer him to order the desired robot and come after him in a few days. If after the purchase it turns out that the product is broken, the seller can replace it or return the money.
Sometimes the store remains the loser, and the client receives the winnings. For example, someone mistakenly hung a price tag with a greatly reduced cost on a robot. The store will be left without profit, and the boy will even have money left to buy another toy. In this case, the seller may ask the child's parents to pay extra. But it is better to return the lost money at the expense of another product, if you slightly increase the price on it.
The example shows that there are several ways to solve the problem. And in the end everyone will be happy. You can learn this if you apply the principle of “vin-vin” in life. The main thing is to strive to satisfy not only your interests, but also the needs of the client.