Successful people have likely got a certain competitive drive that keeps them moving in the right direction. The drive is transferrable to whatever the task they’re faced with at any given moment–a casual sporting pastime or the more serious business negotiation.
Compromise does not exist on the field of play, but it certainly does in the real world.
The more lives directly affected by certain negotiations, the more important it is to balance the need to win with the need to settle.
Take a collective bargaining process, for example.
Each side is led by a reasonably successful group of people–those who are accustomed to seeing things turn out their way. But, again, unlike the world of sports, barring ties, win-win scenarios are not only possible, but desirable.
It sounds much simpler than it is, but the only way for a win-win is for each to ease up on its demands.
An outright desire to win at any cost can bring a mixed blessing along with a triumph, possibly tainting the victory with many years of hard feelings and lost productivity.
On the field of play, winning the right way is important. Good sportsmanship and respect for the opponent turns the contest into something truly worthwhile, verging on noble.
There are, again, direct parallels to real life, and real business.
The long and the short of it is this: compromise from each side, whether we’re talking teachers and government, or CUPE and the City of Castlegar) can grease the skids to get productive work happening again and put a start to the healing process.