“Let us find our common interests and let’s take the most of it.”

The “win-win” concept has proved efficiency, especially in the negotiation field.

The peaceful Northern Irish agreement between ‘Catholics’ and ‘Protestants’ in April 1998, carried out by Brian O' Neil, is a good example. At the beginning, a very complex situation, two opposite positions, a lot of emotion from both sides. At the end, convergent interests, with, on both sides, concessions, while respecting people’s integrity on objectives, and, above all, a concrete realization: the renewal of the Parliament of Northern Ireland, implying all the players. This is the result of a long process of trust building, focusing on common work, first on non significant issues, than on more sensitive issues.

Today, the process continues. In May 15th 2006, this assembly was held, for the first time since 2002, with a new objective: to form in the six following months a united government. Step by step, the process of peace carries on…

This successful example is a reference: it is carrying hope for all of us, individuals or managers, who want to achieve our objectives : to communicate in a more effective way with my colleagues, to motivate my team members on common interests, to convince my customer on a shared vision, etc. Each of us can keep this example in mind, and make it profitable in our day-to-day life. Of course, the “win-win” concept requires, from both parts, efforts and will. It is often necessary to say difficult things and/or to hear them, to improve in a constructive and collective consensus (to agree on annual objectives, for example), to accept the right to err – because we are human beings- and to potentially profit from it, to listen to the others, but also to oneself: our will, our drivers, our limits.