I enjoy cruising because it’s a win-win situation; it works for me and it works for the cruise line. I recently paid only $1,350 for a luxurious, 16-day transatlantic/European cruise (Miami to Rome) which included all meals, lodging, transportation, and entertainment. One evening, as I was munching on a filet mignon, I wondered, “How do they make this work, financially?” I don’t know, but obviously they do, or they wouldn’t be in business.
Both I and the cruise line benefited from a win-win scenario.
Often, we’re trapped in a zero-sum situation—in order for someone to “win,” someone else must “lose.” But there are also positive-sum situations in which everyone “wins.” Let’s pursue those.
How and why do we often succumb to a win-lose mentality? Perhaps through our exposure to athletics, where there’s usually an emphasis on winning or losing. Or perhaps we’ve been taught that to be successful in business, I must win and the competition must fail.
But with proper thought and structure, most experiences can be designed to be mutually beneficial.
- Employee/employer relationships should be a win-win relationship.
- Products and services should seem right and fair to both the seller and the buyer.
- Close relationships should be balanced and mutually advantageous.
- When conflicts do arise, the conflict resolution process can aim to accommodate all participants.
- Effective networking is predicated upon being mutual beneficial.
Almost all productive social behavior is based on win-win scenarios.
I’ll close with a cute story about a bet between a boyfriend and girlfriend regarding a Brazil vs. Argentina football match.
Rules:
1. If Brazil wins, the boy will kiss the girl.
2. If Brazil loses, the girl will kiss the boy.
Now that’s a win-win situation.
[reminder]What are your thoughts about this essay?[/reminder]
I love your wisdom and your wit. I find myself saying, “Yes, I knew that BUT I needed to hear it again. Thank you and keep writing.
Kay
Thanks, Kay, for affirming words. You’re right, sometimes we just need to be reminded.
Don, Thanks for more sage words. Now, what advice can you share about how to get that cruise for $1, 35o.
Repositioning cruises are always cheaper. That’s when the cruise line is moving a ship from one location in the world to another (ex. Caribbean to Mediterranean). These itineraries usually include many days at sea; on the trip I was on, the first seven days were at sea; but I thoroughly enjoy those days. It’s best to book about 5-6 months in advance and then watch the prices fluctuate, if it goes down the cruise line will give you an upgrade to a better room. For instance, I booked a mid-range balcony but was upgraded to concierge level. By the way, I’m putting together a great trip for October, 2018. Let me know if you would like information.
Don, you just described the “juxtaposition of two bi-circular oris muscles in a state of contraction”,
which is the original win-win situation, devised and designed by God.
I read this somewhere back in my 80+ years but I can’t recall where or when.
See you next Sunday.
Steve, thanks for writing. I’m not sure what that phrase means, but it sounds important 🙂
Thanks for our friendship. Don
Elementary Watson (Don); but as I observe people every day, Jesus did not liken us to sheep for lack of cause.
Curtis, thanks for sharing your thoughts. Sometimes we don’t need to be taught as much as reminded.
Thanks for sharing!
Which cruise line? 🙂
Celebrity Cruise line. I also recommend Cunnard.
Take care, Don.
I’ve been an international negotiator. I believe there is no such thing as a win-win. There is compromise. There is concensus. There is stalemate. But there is no win-win.
Winning means dominance. “Win-win” actually means a truce or an armistice because there was no winner. Both sides backed away from winning for the sake of peace, or reconciliation, or relationship.
Thesaurus says the synonyms are “accommodation, accord, adjustment, arrangement, bargain, compact, composition, concession, contract, copout, covenant, deal, fifty-fifty, half and half, half measure, happy medium, mean, middle course, middle ground, pact, sellout, settlement, trade-off.” None of those sound like a WIN.
Your cute story is not a win-win because there was nothing at stake. It was no competition except on the playing field WHERE SOMEONE WON AND SOMEINE LOST. The outcome of the bet had no risk or downside.
Can you site an example of win-win in Scripture? I can’t.
A “win-win” is just the pretty semantical face on a “lose-lose.” It’s just a minor loss.
Hi Larry, thanks for writing. Obviously, I disagree with your premise. I see win-win situations all the time, and my cruise is a good example. My cute story at the end of the post was, obviously, a cute story 🙂
Thanks for your input; I always value it.
Don