Brainworks® - Life Changing Behavior Series - Part 6: Leadership Skills Using the Win-Win Principle

Life Changing Behavior Series

Part 6 of 6: Leadership Skills Using the Win-Win Principle

"A good leader inspires others with confidence in him; a great leader inspires them with confidence in themselves."
- Dwight Eisenhower

Step 1:	Great leaders learn to listen. They make an effort to really understand what is being said in a conversation or meeting. Listen to the other person's point of view before sharing an opinion. Listen for the feelings behind the words. Listen for the intended meaning of the message.
Step 2:	Great leaders have a cooperative spirit. They seek solutions using the Win-Win attitude. A person with a Win-Win attitude sees problem situations as a cooperative arena, not a competitive one. Seek agreements that can be beneficial to all parties. See problems from all parties' perspective. Identify key points and concerns. Determine options that can get results.
Step 3:	Great leaders seek the best solution. They use creative problem solving strategies and the team approach. Value differences: All ideas are put on the table without rejection. Embrace innovation: Consideration should be given to all ideas, even the most novel ones. Use each person's strengths: Treat each person as an equal.
Step 4:	Great leaders make the final decision. They create a new solution that pulls together as many ideas as possible, but they give credit to the team that led to the final decision.

ASK THE EXPERT

Question

I just got a promotion at work. I now manage 10 other designers. We have daily group meetings during projects, and I am supposed to be in charge. All of our meetings end with me being the dictator boss making the final decisions, and the other designers are angry and hurt. How can I make my team work together?

Answer:

Your situation sounds like the perfect time to experiment with the Win-Win approach. Let’s apply the 4 steps to leadership using this principle.

Step 1:	Listen! Do you go into the meeting with a “take charge mentality,” or do you let your team know that you want to hear their ideas? Use a whiteboard and write down the opinions expressed. This will not only show your employees that you value their opinions and ideas, but it will also let you refer to what each person has said before you speak.
Step 2:	Seek cooperation, not competition. Find the common key points and concerns. Then as a team, determine the options that get the best results. Remember Win-Win is not based on compromise or persuading others to see things your way. It is based on an "abundance mentality" - there is room for everybody's ideas.
Step 3:	Express your appreciation and admiration for all the ideas expressed at the meeting. Encourage the team to keep an open mind as the process moves forward.
Step 4:	Restate the problem and take charge. Propose solutions that combine what has been said. All members should feel by now valued. The hurt and angry feelings from the past should be eliminated because everybody has played an important role in the meeting. Don't forget to give give credit to the team for coming up with such good ideas. It will be a Win-Win for all!!

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader."
- John Quincy Adams

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