Why we at Y squared evaluate decisions based on people, clients, and the organization
Triple win sounds great. Almost too good. Like it’s always possible to make choices that benefit everyone. As if interests naturally align. As if you just need to find the right formula and you’re set.
But in reality, it doesn’t work like that.
At Y squared, we don’t see triple win as an ideal. It’s our compass for the moments when things get tough. It’s a way to make choices that aren’t just fast or logical, but also fair, humane, and sustainable.
Inevitably, every organization runs into three perspectives that clash: those of the people doing the work, the organization, and the client. What seems efficient today isn’t always sustainable. What benefits an individual doesn’t always fit the big picture. And what a client wants right now isn’t necessarily what brings the most value in the long run.
That’s exactly when triple win becomes relevant for us. Not when things run smoothly, but when you have to make a choice.
What Triple Win really means to us
Triple win puts three questions on the table at once:
- Is this good for the individual?
- Is this good for the client?
- Is this good for Y squared as an organization?
Those three questions seem simple. The real art is to keep asking them when the pressure rises, the deadlines get tight, or the quickest fix seems tempting.
Triple win doesn’t mean everyone always wins equally. It does mean that a decision should never structurally come at the expense of one of the three parties. That’s our baseline.
From that point, nuance kicks in. In practice, wins are rarely perfectly distributed. Sometimes the biggest win comes later. Sometimes one party carries more for a while. Sometimes a decision feels heavy today, but tomorrow turns out to have been exactly right.
So triple win isn’t a perfect balance. It’s a way to stay in balance.
High win, low win, no deal
To keep things clear, we make a distinct difference between three scenarios.
High win
A high win is the strongest scenario: individual, client, and organization all move forward. Not necessarily at the same pace or to the same degree, but in a way that creates value for everyone. No one pays the price for someone else’s gain.
That’s what you aim for. Because it delivers results, strengthens trust, boosts energy, and builds support.
Low win
Sometimes the win is less pronounced or temporarily uneven. That’s what we call a low win. It might sound less appealing, but it often signals a mature choice. Not every good decision feels like a big win for everyone at once. Think about investing in internal alignment, training, or process improvement. In the short term, it demands time, attention, and resources. In the long term, it makes teams stronger, helps clients better, and makes the organization more resilient.
A low win isn’t a weak compromise. It’s a conscious decision where you look beyond today’s gains.
No deal
And then there’s the line. If two parties win because the third has to consistently lose, it’s no longer a triple win for us. Then it simply isn’t a sustainable choice. A decision that benefits the client and the organization but drains the energy, growth, or motivation of a consultant? Not a triple win.
A choice that feels right for one person but damages the client relationship or the broader operation? Also not a triple win. We’d rather choose clarity than pretend everything’s fine. Then it’s no deal.
Not equal, but equitable
An important nuance is the difference between equality and equity.
Equality says: everyone gets the same. Equity says: everyone matters just as much.
That difference is crucial.
For us, triple win doesn’t mean the gains must always be identical. They don’t have to be equally large. They don’t have to happen at the same time. But they do have to remain fair for all parties. That’s what makes the framework workable, less theoretical, less nice, more real.
Where Triple Win gets truly tested
Triple win sounds logical as long as it stays abstract. The real test is in situations where interests don’t naturally align.
Example 1: Fixed vacation during the holidays
An individual needs rest. The organization needs predictability. The client expects continuity. That tension can’t be solved with a one-size-fits-all answer. Triple win helps us avoid black-and-white thinking. Not everything should always be possible, but not everything needs strict regulation either. The question is: how do you make choices that are fair and workable?
Example 2: Project extensions
A client wants to continue. The organization sees stability. But the consultant feels the assignment no longer fits their growth, energy, or direction. On paper, extension often seems logical. In practice, it can become a decision that slowly tips the balance.
Triple win prevents that conversation from being reduced to “can this continue?” and instead opens it up to “is this still healthy, meaningful, and sustainable for everyone?” That’s where the essence lies for us, not in the perfect answer, but in honest weighing of options.
Why this matters to clients too
Triple win isn’t just an internal way of thinking disconnected from client work. It shapes how we approach projects, how we advise, and how we justify our decisions.
Clients sense that. Our consultants are used to looking at decisions from multiple perspectives. So with clients, we don’t just choose what helps one party move forward, but what works at all levels (team, organization, end user). We don’t automatically go for the quickest solution if it leads to resistance, overload, or loss of quality later. We look not only at output, but also at buy-in, feasibility, and sustainability. And we’d rather address tensions early than fix them later. Because change works not just because a plan looks good on a slide deck. It works when people are on board, choices remain explainable, and the result endures beyond the moment itself.
Our consultants are used to considering decisions from multiple perspectives, from end user to organization.
For organizations that want to get stronger at change, digitization, and collaboration, that’s not just a bonus. It’s the core.
How we approach this at Y squared
Triple win is woven into the way we work. In conversations about personal growth. In choices about workload and energy. In team priorities, client expectations, and internal processes. Not as a checklist, but as a reflex.
That requires open conversations. It demands speaking up. It means naming what’s uncomfortable, even when it’s tough. And it requires radical responsibility: not waiting for tension to escalate, but spotting it early and making it discussable. It’s not just a layer on our way of working. It is our way of working.
No perfect solution. But a solid compass.
Triple win doesn’t work because it solves all complexity. It works because it gives direction when complexity is unavoidable.
It makes interests discussable. It prevents hidden frustration. It helps make sustainable decisions instead of quick fixes. And it pushes you to look beyond what seems easiest today.
That’s why triple win isn’t just a slogan for us. It’s a way of seeing. A compass that helps us stay sharp without losing the human touch.
Do you find yourself stuck in your organization with choices where speed, buy-in, and client interests collide? We’re happy to work with you on an approach that not only sounds good but actually works in practice.
