W.W.O.N.D.A.

Last February, while speaking on the No More Mondays Cruise, Lesa and I had the pleasure of meeting David and Paula Foster. They were speaking on Making Marriage Fun Again. After four decades of counseling couples, they have determined that there are seven essential skills you must develop for a healthy marriage. One of those is negotiating.

David stated, “In marriage, when you deal with conflict, it is always a negotiation.” He goes on to say that you have only four choices:

• Lose/Win = I am a Martyr.
• Win/Lose = I am a bully.
• Lose/Lose = Mutual self destruction
• W.W.O.N.D.A. = Win Win or No Deal Always

I believe developing proper negotiation skills can benefit you in every facet of your life especially in developing strong, healthy relationships.

Stephen Covey considers Think Win/Win number four on his list of Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Covey mentions that character is the foundation of Win/Win and requires developing three character traits.

• Integrity
• Maturity
• Abundance Mentality

Recently I spoke with a client about how to value a large project. We spent a long time discussing how the project would be beneficial to both parties.

Stephen Covey recommends the following elements for a successful Win/Win agreement:

• Identify desired results or what is to be done and when
• Specify the guidelines or parameters within which results are to be accomplished.
• Identify Resources to accomplish the results.
• Accountability
• Consequences

Winning and losing in a sporting event is expected and can be a measure of talent and preparedness. Winning in life and business while the other person loses could cause damaged relationships, cost you a good reputation and future business. Is it worth it?

Have a great week!

Pierce