A Win-Win Deal ... or No Deal
“Win-win is a belief in the Third Alternative. It’s not your way or my way; it’s a better way, a higher way.” – Stephen R. Covey
In our work, competition can feel like part of the job description. From grades and residency slots to leadership roles and limited resources, we’re often subtly (or not so subtly) taught to believe that our professional success is a zero-sum game. But Covey’s fourth habit, “Think Win-Win,” invites us to reimagine success altogether—not as a scarce prize to hoard, but as a shared horizon to reach together. It’s a mindset shift from rivalry to partnership, and in healthcare, it can be transformative.
As we were evolving Carilion Clinic, I attended some meetings intended to help our private practice community physicians understand the implications of this new model. In one meeting, emotions were running quite high based on some rumors at the time that Carilion was trying to shut down a particular group and their concerns were going unheard. At a point of seeming impasse, one of Carilion’s senior leaders said, “I’m feeling the need to apologize to you because it is evident we have not been communicating effectively. Our purpose for doing this is for the sake of the long-term health of the community. We want to be partners with you in order to make that a reality. So I am sorry that we’ve done such a poor job communicating that. Let’s build this together.” After that invitation, the shift in the tone of the meeting was palpable, and resulted in honest, respectful, and at times challenging conversations that helped support the co-creation of this new model of care.
"Win-Win" thinking stems from what Covey calls an “abundance mentality”—the belief that there is enough success, recognition, and opportunity for everyone. This is more than just feel-good fluff; studies in organizational psychology show that teams emphasizing collaboration over competition experience higher morale, better performance, and greater resilience. In high-stakes, high-stress environments like healthcare, where distrust and miscommunication can cause significant harm and even cost lives, creating a culture of mutual benefit isn’t just idealistic—it’s essential. Win-win leaders don’t sacrifice results; they multiply them.
That meeting and others like it served as a reminder to our leadership that people are far more willing to compromise when they feel seen and valued. We still disagreed—often—but we learned to approach those disagreements with curiosity rather than defensiveness. That shift not only allowed the collaboration to move forward, but it fostered a level of mutual respect that has carried on to this day. Covey reminds us that thinking Win-Win isn’t about avoiding conflict or playing nice—it’s about committing to solutions that honor all parties. This requires emotional maturity, empathy, and a willingness to seek the “third alternative,” something better than either of us could have imagined alone.
This week, consider a relationship or situation where you’ve been approaching things as win-lose—or even lose-win. What might a win-win approach look like there? What assumptions would you need to release? What conversations would you need to start? Share your reflections with your PeerRx partner and invite them to do the same. In a field where scarcity often reigns, choosing Win-Win might just be the most radical—and healing—act of all.