DRIVING BUSINESS: The FINAL FOUR vs...
Competition Creates WINNERS...and in The Marketplace There's always room for MORE!
FINAL FOUR WEEKEND! March Madness has all led up to this.
I LOVE Sports. Playing, Coaching, even just Watching…
As we countdown to another NATIONAL CHAMPION in college basketball I’m reminded of a conversation I had with one of my coaches on COMPETITION, WINNING…and LOSING. On the field, on the court and yep, even in The Marketplace.
We know the ups and downs of rooting for our favorite players and being a fan of a team competing for the ultimate prize of WINNING. Winning it all, becoming a Champion, etc.
Yet in The Marketplace we can play a different game with a different outcome. What do I mean?
Sure there’s always competition in The Marketplace, especially in the car world as any Captain of Enterprise will attest to. But in the world of business and selling I always think back to Dr. Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and his principle of THINK WIN-WIN! What an amazing concept.
THINK WIN-WIN.
So many times over the years I’ve seen situations play out that caused me to reflect back on this habit. Those who were operating in their business and SELLING with a WIN-WIN mentality…and several who most certainly were NOT!
It became clear and obvious that they were doing business where someone WINS—and someone doesn’t. Thinking WIN-WIN definitely becomes a part of how we think and act. It’s also our reputation, something we’re known for.
What a great FUNDAMENTAL habit for any of us, in business and in life.
Thinking Win-Win isn't about being nice — it's a character and integrity-based code for our interaction and collaboration with others.
Most of us learn to base our self-worth on comparisons and competition.
We think often about succeeding in terms of someone else failing—if I win, you lose; or if you win, I lose. Life becomes a zero-sum game. There is only so much pie to go around, and if you get a big piece, there is less for me; it’s not fair, and I’m going to make sure you don’t get anymore. We all play the game, but how much fun is it really?
It’s what Peter Diamandis, CEO of Zero Gravity Corporation, refers to as the LAW of ABUNDANCE.
WIN-WIN sees life as a cooperative arena, not a competitive one. It is a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions. WIN-WIN means agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial and satisfying. We both get to eat the pie, and it tastes pretty darn good!
To go for WIN-WIN, you not only have to be empathic, but you also have to be confident. You not only have to be considerate and sensitive, but you also have to be brave. That balance between courage and consideration is the essence of real maturity and is fundamental to win-win.
Relationships create REASONS, and practicing the WIN-WIN philosophy creates MORE and GREATER Relationships that can lead to even MORE opportunities for WINNING.
WIN-WIN means agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial and satisfying.
Both parties get to eat the pie, and it tastes pretty darn good! To go for WIN-WIN, you not only have to be empathic, but you also have to be confident. You not only have to be considerate and sensitive, but you also have to be brave.
In this lesson there are five dimensions of the Win/Win model:
Character, Relationships, Agreements, Supportive Systems and Processes.
Character is the foundation of Win/Win. There must be integrity in order to establish trust in the relationship and to define a win in terms of personal values.
Individuals and organizations with a “win-win” attitude have three key traits:
Integrity: Sticking with their true feelings, values and commitments.
Maturity: Expressing their ideas and feelings with courage and consideration for others' ideas and feelings.
Abundance mentality: Believing there's plenty for everyone. And creating an interaction that allows the other individual to have more doesn’t necessarily mean that you will have LESS.
“In the long run, if it isn’t a win for both of us, we both lose. That’s why win-win is the only real alternative in interdependent realities.”
— Dr. Stephen R. Covey
Here’s to WINNING and making the customer feel like a CHAMPION as well.
Have a great weekend,
Michael
EDITORS NOTE:
Michael York is an accomplished AUTHOR and SPEAKER...as well as the Co-Founder and Host of CETV.
In 2022 He was named “Most Unique Leadership Coach” by Corporate Vision International, and in 2023 was awarded the “Transformation Coach of the Year” by Wealth and Finance magazine.
He is an award-winning CONSULTANT and COACH retained by ORGANIZATIONS for his contribution to the improvement of HUMAN POTENTIAL, PERSONALLY as well as PROFESSIONALLY.
He is the RADICAL IMPROVEMENT CATALYST behind major advancements with his clients over two decades and the EVIDENCE of his EXPERTISE is confirmed by empirical RESULTS, some of which can be seen at www.MichaelYork.comHave a great weekend,