Win-Win
Solutions
© 2014 Eve Coates
What Is a Win-Win Solution?
To find a win-win solution, you must think about others as well as yourself.
You look for ways to make both people happy when problems happen.
You try to be the best friend you can be.
You can think of your friendship like a bucket.
When you are kind and considerate to
your friends, it’s like you’re filling up
their bucket.
The better you are to your friends,
the more you fill up their buckets.
When you aren’t kind to your
friends, it’s like emptying their
buckets.
Fill up the Buckets!
Sometimes we have bad
days and empty some of
someone’s bucket.
That’s why it’s important
to fill up each other’s
buckets as much as we
can, so there is always
plenty left over.
How Do We Fill Buckets?
It’s okay for you to do things your way sometimes, but it’s important to also think
of others instead of just yourself. Thinking of others will fill your friend’s bucket.
It’s okay to let your friends do things their way sometimes. This is a way to be kind,
and make someone happy. But it’s important to also give your opinion and stand up
for yourself. Standing up for yourself will fill your bucket.
One way to think win-win and fill up banks is to find a way for both people to be happy
and “win” when there is a problem. Thinking win-win will fill both your buckets!
IfIfyou
aIf
that
makes
you
happy,
but not
your
friend,
it’s
win-lose
situation.
When
there
is makes
ayour
problem,
there
are
several
ways
to aasolve
youfind
asolution
solution
that
makes
friend
happy,
but
not it’s
you,
a it.
lose-win
situation.
Iffind
you
find
solution
that
neither
person
happy,
lose-lose
situation.
you afind
a solution
that
makes
both
people
happy,
it’s
ait’s
win-win!
Win-Win
Win-Lose
Lose-Win
Lose-Lose
For example, let’s say that you and your friend were trying to decide
what to do. You wanted to write stories and your friend wanted to
color. Let’s look at different ways to solve this problem.
Win-Win
Win-Lose
Lose-Win
Lose-Lose
If you and your friend got in a fight over this problem and decided not to
play at all, this is a lose-lose solution. Neither of you would be happy!
Win-Win
Win-Lose
Lose-Win
Lose-Lose
If you decided to both color, this would be a lose-win solution. Your
friend is happy, but you aren’t.
Win-Win
Win-Lose
Lose-Win
Lose-Lose
If you decided to both write stories, this would be a win-lose solution.
You would be happy, but your friend wouldn’t be..
Win-Win
Win-Lose
Lose-Win
Lose-Lose
One
It’ssolution
okay tocould
be kind
beand
thatdo
you
what
write
your
a story
friend
and
wants,
your or
friend
for your
draws
friend to
do what
you want,the
butstory.
if you’re
enough,
you might
ableare
to
pictures
to illustrate
Thiscreative
would be
a win-win
. Both be
of you
find aand
waythe
forstory
BOTH
you to be
you think of a way?
happy,
andofpictures
arehappy.
betterCan
together!
Win-Win
Win-Lose
Lose-Win
Lose-Lose
Let’s Practice!
Do you think you know what a win-win solution is?
In the following examples, try to guess if Abby is making a win-win choice,
a win-lose choice, a lose-win choice, or a lose-lose choice. Click on the
box you think is right.
If Abby doesn’t make a win-win choice, brainstorm a win-win solution
she could do instead.
Abby’s mom was going to the store and asked Abby and her brother what
dessert
they’d
her
Abby
ice-cream
and her
brother
One
solution
beto
forbuy.
Abby
andwanted
her brother
to choose
ice-cream
cake.Can
Correct!
This
waswould
alikelose-lose
solution.
Neither
person
is happy.
wanted
and her brother
took
so long
arguing
aboutare
which
This waycake.
AbbyAbby
gets ice-cream
and her
brother
gets
cake. They
both
think ofdessert
a
win-win
solution?
to
get
that
their
mom
left
and
came
back
with
pudding
for
dessert,
happy!
which neither of them wanted. What kind of solution is this?
Win-Win
Win-Lose
Lose-Win
Lose-Lose
you
One solution would be for Abby and her brother to choose ice-cream cake.
This way Abby gets ice-cream and her brother gets cake. They are both
happy!
Win-Win
Win-Lose
Lose-Win
Lose-Lose
Abby and her friend wanted to make matching friendship bracelets. Abby
Correct!
This the
was
a win-lose
Abby
is happy,
butred.not
her
wanted
beads
to be bluesolution.
and her friend
wanted
them to be
They
the bracelets
blue, even though it made her friend a little
Can youdecided
thinktoofmake
a win-win
solution?
sad. What kind of solution was this?
Win-Win
Win-Lose
Lose-Win
Lose-Lose
friend.
One solution would be for Abby and friend to make bracelets with red AND
blue beads. This way they both get their favorite colors on the bracelet and
they’re both happy.
Win-Win
Win-Lose
Lose-Win
Lose-Lose
Abby and her friend were trying to decide what to do. Abby suggested
sledding because she wanted to play in the snow. Her friend suggested
Correct!
This was a lose-win solution. Abby’s not happy, but her friend
playing with Legos because she wanted to build something. They decided to
is. Can play
youwith
think
of even
a win-win
solution?
Legos,
though it made
Abby a little sad. What kind of solution
is this?
Win-Win
Win-Lose
Lose-Win
Lose-Lose
One solution would be for Abby and her friend to make snowmen. This way
Abby is happy because they can play in the snow, and her friend is happy
because she can build something.
Win-Win
Win-Lose
Lose-Win
Lose-Lose
Abby and her parents were trying to decide what to do for the weekend.
Correct!
This
wastoa go
win-win
solution.
Abby
is happy
because
she gets to
Abby
wanted
to the theater
and watch
a movie,
but her
parents were
watch atired
movie
and her
parents
are decided
happytobecause
theyatget
to stay
and wanted
to stay
home. They
watch a movie
home.
home! What kind of solution is this?
Win-Win
Win-Lose
Lose-Win
Lose-Lose
Your Turn!
Now it’s your turn to practice finding win-win solutions!
In this worksheet, read the story, then draw what a
lose-lose solution would look like.
Next draw a lose-win solution.
Then draw a win-lose solution.
Finally, brainstorm and draw an idea for a win-win solution.
Created by Eve Coates
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© 2014 Eve Coates. All rights reserved. Purchase of this unit entitles the purchaser the right to use the product for personal classroom use only. Sharing or
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