Beware of Weasels Offering Win-Wins :)

Your eyes aren't deceiving you. That is a picture of a weasel riding on the back of a woodpecker. Martin Le-May, an amateur photographer in the United Kingdom, snapped this photo. It has gone viral. According to Le-May he was walking with his wife, Ann, and heard a squawking noise. He turned and captured the image.

I've read in several places that the weasel and the woodpecker were demonstrating a true win-win relationship. That's simply not true. The weasel was an opportunist trying to eat the woodpecker.

My takeaway: Beware of weasels offering you a win-win.

(Does this mean that every person who says, "I have a win-win for you," is a weasel? Of course, not. Just go with the idea...)

Done right, a win-win agreement can be a powerful approach. Here are the steps to getting it right.

1. Both parties should define their win: The weasel never asked the woodpecker to define a win.

If someone comes to you and says that they have a win-win for you, your first thought should be how do you know what a win is for me? You haven't asked. Only you can define a win for yourself.

Here's a better way to approach the situation. Let's say you and a colleague are starting a project together and you'd like to establish a win-win agreement. You can say something like, "I'd really like for this project to be a win for both of us. For me, it's important that X happens, what does a win look like for you?" Then just sit back and listen.

2. Get clear on resources: The woodpecker supplied all of the resources.

Every team and organization has limited resources. It's important to get clear on what resources are available. Don't wait until a conflict arises or assume that a certain person is available for a project. Get clear from the onset about personnel, funding, and other resources that can be employed to get the work down.

3. Understand accountability: The weasel was running the show.

Decide at the outset how the parties will hold one another accountable for success. Will there be a weekly meeting? Is a certain report needed every day? Will a third party help us to ensure we stay on track? Don't wait until things are behind schedule and people become defensive. Establish the accountability standard early and maintain it.

4. Define Outcomes and Consequences: The woodpecker figured out inflight where things were going.

Take time at the beginning of the agreement to answer the "so what" question. What happens if we deliver or fail to deliver on the project? Get crystal clear. Don't use vague statements, but define exactly what will happen if you both win. Identify how it will feel, who will care, and the impact the effort will have on all parties.

Final thought...the next time you venture into a new work situation (e.g., a project, a new hire), take time to work together to define a win-win relationship. Write it down and stick to it.

Other articles by Patrick Leddin:

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• Should Your Reddit-ize Your Leadership Approach
• The Power of the Bourbon Brand
• McDonalds $550 Million Misstep: 3 Leadership and Business Lessons
• 4 Decisions to Give Marketing the Moves Like Jagger...
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Also by Patrick Leddin: Oliver's Spot - The 5 Ps Leading Team to Top Results