The Habit of Creative Cooperation
To put it simply, synergy means “two heads are better than one.” Synergize is the habit of creative cooperation. It is teamwork, open-mindedness, and the adventure of finding new solutions to old problems. But it doesn’t happen on its own. It’s a process, and through that process, people bring all their personal experience and expertise to the table.
Together, they can produce far better results than they could individually. Synergy lets us discover jointly things we are much less likely to discover by ourselves. It is the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts: one plus one equals three, or six, or sixty—you name it.
When people begin to interact together genuinely, and they’re open to each other’s influence, they begin to gain new insight. The capability of inventing new approaches is increased exponentially because of differences.
Valuing differences is what really drives synergy. Do you truly value the mental, emotional, and psychological differences among people? Or do you wish everyone would just agree with you so you could all get along? Many people mistake uniformity for unity and sameness for oneness. There’s one word for that: boring! Differences should be seen as strengths, not weaknesses. They add zest to life.
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You know you are synergizing when you
- Have a change of heart.
- Feel new energy and excitement.
- See things in a new way.
- Feel that the relationship has transformed.
- End up with an idea or a result that is better than what either of you started with (3rd Alternative).
“Synergy is not the same as compromise. In a compromise, one plus one equals one-and-a-half at best.”
Landfill Harmonic
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Focus and act on what you can control and influence instead of what you can’t.
Define clear measures of success and a plan to achieve them.
Prioritize and achieve your most important goals instead of constantly reacting to urgencies.
Collaborate more effectively by building high-trust relationships.
Influence others by developing a deep understanding of their needs and perspectives.
Develop innovative solutions that leverage diversity and satisfy all key stakeholders.
Increase motivation, energy, and work/life balance by making time for renewing activities.