Negotiation and Compromise?

Life can often seem like one continuous negotiation.  There are things that we desire for which we must determine what we are willing to exchange.  We must continually weigh the "current value" of what we have against that which we want and decide whether we are willing to make the trade.  This is true of our time, our money or, sometimes, our lifestyle.

Work is a negotiation.  We trade our limited time for something that will provide an income which can then be used to purchase "things" that we desire.  Frequently work also requires growth.  This comes when we are asked to do things that take us beyond our comfort zone into the unknown depths of something we have never before attempted.  It may be in the form of expanded responsibility, or in developing and cultivating relationships such as with customers.

Typically, the amount of compensation is closely aligned with the level of discomfort one must experience.  One example is in travel.  Many jobs in today's economy require extensive travel which means time away from home and family.  Incentives to entice employees to endure that situation are usually necessary.

Negotiation, though, isn't limited to our work life, it is also relevant in family life.  One example is the classic conversation between husband and wife over the choice of restaurant.  Another might be related to the choice of vacation spot (for those who experience such things).  Hopefully, the trade is one which is conducted amicably and all parties are satisfied with the outcome.

In spite of the perceptions fostered by media and the political parties involved, what occurs in Washington in the halls of our government is also a negotiation.  It saddens me that it cannot be conducted amicably and that it is often an exercise in power rather than trade.  Heavy-handedness is never a good solution in the long term.  It fosters ill-will.  Negotiation should include compromise in order to achieve an acceptable solution to all.

Today, if we see either party depart from some hard-and-fast line which has been arbitrarily set -- typically by the more extreme factions -- it isn't seen as compromise, but rather as caving to the opposition.  I think we all need to remember that in a land as diverse as this one, we don't all think alike and we each have a unique perspective.  We must learn to compromise and more importantly, to accept compromise.  It can be done without losing our personal moral compass.

Hopefully, in the end, we all will grow through the experience of threading a pathway between various belief systems and views of how things should occur.  If we can do so, the result should be rewarding to all, not just the few who get their way.