Compromise

compromise
/ˈkɒmprəmʌɪz/
noun
an agreement or settlement of a dispute that is reached by each side making concessions.
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concession
/kənˈsɛʃ(ə)n/
noun
something done or agreed to, usually grudgingly, in order to reach an agreement or improve a situation.
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Before discussing the difficulty of compromise, we need to understand the situation that had even led to a compromise having to be considered. A compromise is considered typically only after a dispute arises, that follows an exchange of diverging or opposite views. There is only a need for compromise when both parties want different outcomes within the same situation.

Picture a standard Venn diagram where each circle represents the wants of each opposing party. Fundamentally, a compromise entails expanding the area of overlap between the two circles. This can be achieved by finding common ground (ie an arrangement that both sides are amenable to). A compromise can only be worked toward when both parties understand the principles and intrinsic difficulties that underlie the development of a compromise. The following is a list of considerations that I feel should be taken into account:

1) Both parties must want to reach an agreement. If neither party wants to reach an agreement, then lackluster effort will be put into discussion, and a compromise is unlikely to be reached. 

2) Finding common ground is not the same as meeting in the middle. Meeting in the middle is highly difficult because each side would see the midpoint differently, because what one party deems as a huge sacrifice might not seem like much to the other person, thus leading to disagreements on where this elusive "middle" actually is. Start by finding common ground; What are some things that both parties want? Then

3) It has to be understood is that a compromise requires both sides to give concessions. What this means is that both parties will have to sacrifice a component of their desired outcome to accommodate the other party. If neither side is willing to give in, then working toward an agreement will be fruitless. These are your "deal-breakers", and it is important that 

4) Each side should be completely clear about what they want. If there is something that you want that you are sure that you're completely unwilling to compromise on, then what you have is a "deal-breaker". For productive discussion, each party should declare their concrete deal-breakers from the onset, but the most important determinant I think in determining the happiness or success of a compromise is how much you

5) Trust each other. It becomes a massive headache if both parties try to game each other. Sometimes, if it matters enough to both of you and both of you respect each other, be honest and have faith that the other person is honest as well. Pick your fights wisely; give-and-take. If it matters enough to both of you, give concessions generously and try to meet in the middle or make up for it in some other way. Your interlocutor will appreciate when you do just as you will appreciate it when s/he does. Everyone wins at the end of a discussion that isn't manipulative or disingenuous. So let's have more honest discussions where everyone wins.