Getting to We

A Shift to
Collaboration

About Getting to We^®

Getting to We is a 5-step method that allows two organizations in a business relationship to create mutual, long-lasting and successful outcomes. A shift to a What’s In It For We (WIIFWe) mindset will allow both parties to lay a solid foundation for a highly collaborative relationship.

WIIFWe is the social and behavioral mantra forming the structure of a collaborative and trusting relationship. When fully embraced, a WIIFWe mindset proves a competitive advantage that can drive successful outcomes for the parties.

1. Build the Right Mindset

People drive business. People enable innovation. People ignite change. Organizations that are truly engaged in collaboration understand that the What's In It For We mindset is the very substance of their strategic business relationships.

The first step in establishing a WIIFWe mindset is to close the gaps in trust, transparency and compatibility. Together, these 3 building blocks form the foundation of any win-win partnership: they must be present as organizations and individuals are looking to transition from Me to We.

2. Create a Shared Vision

High-performing, highly collaborative strategic partnerships have a purpose that is greater than merely deciding upon a series of transactions. Partnerships that have a clearly articulated vision for the future have a much greater chance of reaching long-term success.

A Shared Vision aligns the companies towards a common goal and transcends each company’s self-interests. It is designed to outline a shared understanding of what the parties hope the future will look like and/or how the organizations want to focus their shared attention.

3. Establish Guiding Principles

Guiding Principles are social norms to be applied to the relationship. They tell the parties how to act and how to behave in relation to one another when living the relationship. Unfortunately, too many organizations fail to establish a foundation of strong social norms.

Companies that embrace the WIIFWe philosophy turn to establishing guiding principles to help them make the correct decisions when potential questions occur and before negotiating a single deal point. These are proactive ground rules for the way the parties will act.

4. Negotiate as We

When most companies think about negotiating, they think about negotiating specific deal points. In long-term relationships, negotiating is not a once-and-done event. Rather, parties should expect to negotiate throughout the life of the relationship, as business happens.

Negotiating as We turns conventional negotiating strategies on their head because it starts with selecting the mechanisms the parties will jointly use as they negotiate specific details. In collaborative negotiations, principles guide behaviors for fair exchanges.

5. Live as We

Once their deal is signed, many organizations think they are done. In reality, their journey together has only just started. Without a framework and mechanisms for managing the relationship the parties have established, it is easy for old 'me-first' habits to reassert themselves.

A sound governance structure provides a set of cohesive policies, processes, and decision-making rights that encourage continuous collaboration. It will help keep the relationship running at peak performance long after the parties have executed their deal.

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