Organizational synergy is more than a company running well. It nurtures an atmosphere that empowers organizations to accomplish more than they ever thought they could.
What does synergy look like? Think of a dance performance. Whether good or bad, the job is the same. Each person must learn and perform the choreography. The difference between a production that is mediocre and one that takes your breath away is the connection and energy that is created by the dance company.
In an inspirational production, the passion emanates from the stage. You can see and feel that the dancers are connected and energized by one another. Their synergy pulls the audience in. The result is that goose pimply feeling you get from an amazing performance.
This type of energy can be built in the business world as well. To do this you can concentrate on some key elements:
Diverse skills and perspectives: Having a variety of viewpoints is key to synergy. The spark created from valuing and championing opposing views allows teams to create and innovate in ways that even surprise the members.
Clarity of purpose: Different views need to be balanced with clear goals and objectives. This clarity allows the diversity of the group to align and focus their energies toward a shared purpose.
Culture of Trust: If synergy relies on the expression of a wide range of viewpoints, all team members need to believe they are valued and that it is safe to offer up alternate suggestions. When this type of culture is created, team members feel comfortable expressing their opinions and ideas laying the foundation for innovation.
Committed Leadership: As with everything in organizations, teams take their cues from leadership. Leaders need to consistently implement policies and procedures that support synergy. This is accomplished through providing opportunities for feedback, acting on ideas suggested and constantly communicating that the organization values varying perspectives.
Putting these key elements into action requires specific behaviors. Next week we will show you some easy to implement tools that can help build synergy in your teams.
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