The Best Deals are "Win-Win"

A common misconception is that in order for someone to get a really good deal some one else must be getting a really bad deal on the other end of it. While there are times when a good deal does come becuase of someone elses misfortune it isn't always the case, in fact I would say its not usually the case. The best deals however are a good deal for everyone, or a "Win-Win" situation.

For example, I was asked to sing a song in our upcoming stake conference in a few weeks to which I agreed, but what I didn't know was how it came about. Just today I found out that it was all part of good negotiating. My ward choir director went to a meeting where she found out that she was slated to have our ward choir sing in at stake conference with only 3 weeks to put something together. Feeling overwhelmed at the idea, and seeing that a musical number hadn't been found for the priesthood meeting, she suggested that I could sing the same song in the priesthood meeting that I had recently sung in our ward IF that would count for our wards music contribution to stake conference. And it worked!

So here's the benefits of the deal:
1 - My ward choir director doesn't have to prepare or stress over another musical number.
2 - The members of the ward choir don't have to sing in conference
3 - The stake music person doesn't have to find a musical number for the priesthood meeting
4 - I get to sing, which I enjoy. While I will need to spend time rehearsing it will be with my wife who I love to be with, the assignment will get me to a good meeting which I probably wouldn't have attended otherwise, AND I have the appreciation of the ward choir and may even see a plate of brownies from it.

That is a Win-Win-Win-Win scenario. And all because of good negotiation.

So remember that any time that you can find a way to meet the needs of some one else while at the sometime accomplishing your goals, that is a win-win situation, a good way to do business, and a really good deal.