Today, we’re continuing our series on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I hope this series has proved to be informative and enlightening, and that you’ve been able to implement the strategies from each installment into your personal and professional life with amazing results. We only have two more habits to talk about, but before we dive into that, let’s look at the ground we’ve already covered.
Here are the topics we’ve discussed thus far:
In Part 1 ,we discussed the importance of taking initiative and being proactive in life.
In Part 2, we discussed how getting clear on your values will help you live a more meaningful and satisfying life.
In Part 3, we covered the necessity behind time management and effectively setting goals.
In Part 4, we talked about the notion of thinking ‘win-win’ to build your character and create better relationships.
And in Part 5, we discussed the importance of emphatic listening and seeking to understand others in order to meet them where they are.
If you’ve missed any of the previous installments, you cane asily access them by clicking one of the links above.
Now let’s move on to Habit #6: Synergise.
What exactly does it mean to synergise?
Author Siim Land defines it as so:
“Synergy is the essence of Principle-Centered Leadership. It catalyzes, unites and unleashes the greatest powers within people. Synergy means that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. One plus one equals three or more. Synergistic communication opens up your mind and heart to new possibilities, novel solutions and unique perspectives, which would remain hidden otherwise. It grants the collective spirit access to higher levels of creativity and co-operation.”
Why is synergy important in the workplace?
For one, it creates an environment of trust and safety, which allows others to feel secure enough about being open with their ideas. Imagine if all of your team members enthusiastically shared their solutions during team meetings and eagerly collaborated with one another, bouncing ideas off each other and developing even greater insights. This is a dream for any leader or manager, isn’t it? It sounds like nothing less than a well-oiled machine where people are happy, productive, and working at full capacity.
Synergy additionally allows teams to avoid negative energy by valuing every individual’s different approach to a problem. That includes mental difference, emotional differences, and psychological differences as well. If everyone thought the same, after all, then there would hardly be even the slightest drop of creativity in the workplace. But we need that creativity in order to strategize, innovate, and solve problems. That’s why diversity is so important in the workplace. We each have an essential piece of the puzzle that we can bring to the table, and when we work together more cohesively, we move more quickly toward our common goal.
Finally, synergy also helps leaders and teams deal with interpersonal situations in a better manner. Because they’re working toward a common goal, team members are more apt to focus on what unites them as opposed to what divides them. They’re also more willing to reconcile when confrontations do arise and move forward for the sake of the team.
To create more synergy in the workplace, consider these two action steps below:
- Identify a situation in which you desire greater teamwork and synergy. What conditions would need to exist to support synergy? What can you do to create those conditions? Take a few moments to reflect on these questions and free-write your responses. Then begin to identify/collect any resources you might need to move forward with the ideas you’ve come up with.
- The next time there’s a disagreement or confrontation in the workplace, attempt to understand the concerns underlying each person’s position. Address those concerns in a creative and mutually beneficial way. What is each party’s perspective of the situation? What does each party want to achieve? How can you create a win-win situation where everyone is happy?
Synergy is a must-have in today’s workplaces. Leaders and teams together can only thrive when diversity, creativity, and innovation are valued on a daily basis—all things that naturally surface from a focus on synergy. Using the action steps above, you’ll be able to create more synergy in your workplace, which will lead to happier and more productive employees.