It’s time for part 2 of Stephen Covey’s Think Win Win habit …

Yesterday we covered Win / Win and today we’ll discuss Win / Lose.

In leadership terms Win / Lose is authoritarian. It kinda says. ‘I get my way. But you don’t get yours.’

Win / Lose people are prone to use position, power, credentials, possessions or personality to get their way. Usually at the cost of their relationship with others.

Most people have been deeply scripted in the Win / Lose mentality since birth. Like these:

• Within family. When one child is compared against another.
• In peer groups. We all know how cruel peers can be sometimes.
• The academic world reinforces Win / Lose. Measuring results rather than effort.
• Sports can also reinforce Win / Lose. Creating a selfish win at all costs attitude.

Certainly. There’s a place for Win / Lose thinking in truly competitive and low trust situations. But most of life is not a competition.

‘Who’s winning in your marriage.’ Is a ridiculous question. If both people aren’t winning. Both of you are really losing.

Most results you want, depend on cooperation between you and the other parties. And the Win / Lose mentality is dysfunctional to that happening.

Thank you for watching Stephen Covey’s Think Win Win habit series.

…tune in tomorrow for Lose / Win.