Thinking Win Win – The only way to move forward I – By “Jaanu”

The word “polarized” actually means “to bring something together.” It’s ironic then that, nowadays, this word is used often to describe the pulling apart of society, the pushing of factions to opposite sides, to “break up into opposing groupings.” Sometimes, it feels like we live in a society where someone else – some other group, some other team – needs to lose in order for your own group to win. But that isn’t the case.

Thinking win-win should be a skill we teach in our schools starting at the pre-school level. This should be an attitude and a way of living imbued in society as a whole. A genuine desire for the common good should be a defining trait of humanity, but even if that’s an unrealistic notion, promoting the welfare of society inherently promotes one’s own well-being. Dr. Stephen Covey calls it “seeing life as a cooperative arena instead of a competitive one” because, “in the long run, if it isn’t a win for both of us, we both lose.” Thinking win-win involves showing empathy, confidence, and courage, in order to foster the growth of solutions that make all parties happy or at least halfway pleased. It requires some compromise and more effort but cultivates better relationships. Whether in politics, business, or simply in family life, thinking win-win is the only sustainable way forward for a society that thrives on collaboration. 🤝