Why willingness is the hidden driver of successful negotiation

In business, negotiation is often framed as a tactical exercise. A matter of requests, concessions, and outcomes. Organisations invest heavily in experts, models, and playbooks designed to give them the upper hand. Yet time and again, negotiations stall, drag on, or collapse altogether.

The differentiator isn’t strategy. It’s mindset. Specifically, the willingness of leaders to collaborate, empathise, and co-operate. Negotiations don’t succeed or fail because of the deal terms on the table, but because of the posture people bring into the room.

The long road: win/lose thinking

When leaders approach negotiation with a win/lose mindset, the outcome is almost always protracted and unproductive. Each side seeks to defend its position, avoid conceding ground, and interpret the other’s loss as its gain.

The result is stalemate. With creativity stifled and defensiveness heightened, the conversation narrows instead of expanding. Both sides may achieve small tactical wins, but the opportunity for breakthrough value is lost. As leaders, we like to believe we rise above this dynamic. Yet expertise, confidence, or pride can easily lock us into uncompromising positions.

The instinct to be right often overrides the willingness to collaborate. And in doing so, leaders miss the possibility of “AND”. In other words, solutions where both sides get what they need.

The short road: a mindset of “AND”

A different path is available. When both sides start by clarifying their non-negotiables and then commit to building a scenario where everyone wins, negotiations become shorter, more constructive, and far more innovative.

This is the essence of the “AND” mindset. Rather than viewing one party’s gain as the other’s loss, leaders jointly invest in creating conditions where both succeed. The focus shifts from outmanoeuvring the other to designing outcomes together.

In practice, this means starting with “yes.” If a supplier raises a challenge, or an employee requests flexibility, leaders ask: How can we make this work? rather than defaulting to no. This willingness to collaborate doesn’t dilute standards, it elevates them by forcing both sides to think more creatively about how needs can be met in tandem.

Collaboration as a strategic advantage

A mindset of willingness unlocks outcomes that defensive negotiation never can. It creates partnerships instead of transactions, opportunities instead of compromises, and innovations that neither side could have generated alone.

The shift is subtle but profound: from maximum energy spent defending positions, to maximum energy spent building shared solutions.

For leaders, the implications go far beyond formal negotiations. The same mindset transforms conversations with employees, partners, and peers. It fosters agility, trust, and resilience across the organisation.

From negotiation to collaboration

Ultimately, the success of any negotiation comes down to willingness. Leaders who approach these moments with openness, empathy, and commitment to mutual success find that negotiations stop being battles to be won and become collaborations to be built.

When that happens, the outcome isn’t just agreement, it’s alignment. And with alignment, anything becomes possible.

Ready to shift from win/lose to win/win? Let’s explore how a mindset of ‘AND’ can unlock breakthrough value for your organisation. Get in touch here.