Life is rarely a ZeroSumGame.  In every interaction with others, try to ensure that both you and the other party come out winners.  One of the first steps is to find out what the other wants.

See: SeekFirstToUnderstand

----
'''WinWin''''''Situation, if you ThinkWinWin'''

This is often about perception of the negotiation. If two people come across two $50 notes lying on the ground and start arguing over who should take it. Either of the following mentalities will exist:

* Both think that any new money is a gain - they take $50 each and walk away. Win-win situation.
* Both see the other person walking with $50 as a loss. Neither party is happy unless they gain the entire $100 to themselves. A 50/50 division would be percieved as a lose/lose situation.

''Or, consider turning the entire $100 to the police so that the proper owner is able to claim a lost property. -- where the loser finds, and the finders do what is right. '''Three people win:  a WinWin''''''Win Situation.'''''

----
'''Sixty years old MarshallPlan - still largely a peaceful Europe'''

There is probably a lot of "dressing up" done to it, since it is a US originated plan and the above is a us site. However, all considered, that plan is probably the most brilliantly conceived and executed example of WinWin. US won, Europe won, former second World War Two enemies won. And indirectly, Asia and India won because of trade with the growing prosperous FirstWorld.

Contrast this with the harsh terms of the Versailles treaty dictated at the end of the first World War.

----
''For a counterpoint to the effectiveness of WinWin, see StartWithNo.''

----
See also TheBestOfBothWorlds.
----
Part of the NegotiatingPatternLanguage. See also WinWinOrNoDeal