Compromise has become a dirty word. After all, you don’t want your quality or safety compromised. But in business and life partnerships, compromise can be crucial for survival. Say you want to spend the entire marketing budget on social media while your partner prefers traditional print ads. The resolution might be to divide the money and have a presence in both. Or what if you want to take a trip to Costa Rica, but your spouse wants to go to Aruba? Maybe you decide this time, but he or she chooses next year.
Related: The Secret to Smart Negotiations Is Simply Empathy
Are you stubborn or headstrong? These tips for becoming a better compromiser we gleaned from a bevy of expert sources.
- Nurture the relationship with your partner by showing interest in her life, like her greyhound puppy or her son’s knack for tennis. Keep communication flowing so that when hard conversations roll around, each of you understands the other’s point of view.
- Don’t start negotiations during a crisis or when stress and tempers flare. Wait for calm conditions.
- Before any discussion, know what you want. Also know what you won’t budge on. Never go against your conscience or compromise your values.
- Pick your arguments and realize you don’t always have to be right.
- Be willing to change. Then prove you’ve changed by acting on the resolution as agreed.
- Show appreciation for the other side. Compromising instead of continuing to fight is an admirable characteristic.
- Treat a business partnership like a marriage. During disputes, be open to help from a mentor, accountant or business coach.
Related: This Is the Key to a Successful Partnership (and a Successful Life)
This article originally appeared in the August 2017 issue of SUCCESS magazine.
