One of the things I observe in life is the inherent belief that there is automatically a trade-off when there are two stakeholder groups at play.

In employer/employee relationships there is often a belief that if one party succeeds the other suffers.  In other words if the company makes a profit, it’s at the expense of the employees, and vice versa.

People often argue that if we spend more on services we will get a better outcome, and likewise if we spend less, we will get a worse outcome.  Why can’t we spend less and achieve better outcomes?

Similarly in a contracting relationship we think that the service provider is ripping us off if they make money. Why can’t the service provider make good money at the same time that the client is getting great value for money?

This is largely because we think in terms of win/loss, rather than win/win.  It comes from our underlying insecurities of fear and threat with a competitive mindset, rather than demonstrating trust.

When we demonstrate trust and place trust in others the win/win scenario is possible with far better outcomes for everyone involved. Can you recall a situation recently where you have experienced or observed a trade-off?  Next time you are working with others, focus on building a constructive, win-win relationship where all stakeholders benefit.