Many people related synergy with coherence of similarities between two same objects or minds in such a way there never be conflicts between them. It is quite misunderstood concept. Actually opposite is true. I can define briefly as :
“Synergy is a phenomenon in which more than one objects, minds meet and combine together with different capabilities to form organic bonding so new creative results are formed. These results cannot be seen by unilateral or bilateral way of thinking as traditional two parties or two persons try to discuss or find solution of problem or issue”.
In corporate world usually synergy is referred as results of combine efforts of a team which is fine understanding. However, spirit behind synergistic vision is missing. As we seen that sometime team tend to focus on weaknesses of each other rather than strengths. Therefore, desired results we don’t get in the actual reality. Managers and Director of the departments or functions within an organisation must familiar with true spirit of synergy and its science. Organisational main goals should be aligned with intra-departmental goals and these goals cannot be achieved unless employees within department are not push to unleash their potentials.
Synergy at Business
There is no doubt that individual performances are also significant and sometime single individuals are so effective and productive for the whole company in such a way his or her moral and formal authority cannot be underestimated at any stage of timeline of the achievements of the company. However, If these individuals are connected to build synergistic teams than results can be enormous and unlimited. Because In process of synergy when different employees with difference background and diverse strengths meet and work together than their outcome is unlimited than expected. In synergy, 1+1 is either 11 or 111 or unlimited. For example, if you see giant cooperate and financial success of Apple whose annual turn over is more than Trillion dollars in such a small span of time in few decade. Their internal administrative, management and recruitment are fully equipped with diverse staff’s capabilities with synergistic bondings.
If you have hired ten sales staff for your products or service, they are brought to work as team , manager will focus on individual strengths in aligned with team goals. Sales targets does not depend on recruitment criteria but on each members values aligned with main goals of the team. I worked in large transport company in London whose management does not believe or aware about virtues of working as synergistic teams. Therefore, inspite of working from last 20 years, they annual turn over and fleet were remain same in numbers, each year, without any betterment in any department. They just get normal or mediocre results , not the great.
On the other hand, I used to work in prestige university with top professors as my senior colleagues. Our department hired a synergistic Boss who transformed the whole culture of the department in the university. He was a leader of choice and provide opportunities to everyone to grow as he or she wanted. Introducing new way of administrative practice also inspired other departments to change them too. I took number of initiative in his leadership. Even though I realised my immense potential in his leadership. The reason why we all start to work with spirit of synergy. My annual appraisal as employee was over 95% as same like my other fellows. Even though we had weaknesses in each as individuals but they became irrelevant as what we were achieving. Infact my professional career transformed during working with him. I remember the definition of leadership as
“The leader is the one dynamic person who inspired others to find their voices and it goes on”
In order to understand Synergy as whole phenomena of creation of our worlds, we need to consider synergistic process everywhere around us. Digital & electronic revolution, Human miraculous physiology, formation of urban cities, natural environmental landscapes, cosmological formation etc, are examples of synergy. Synergy is a miracle ! indeed ! Don’t you see and stares how nature is producing results with greater degrees. One object or mind such as peripheral or living things meeth with others to create something amazing.
A perfect garden (orchid) is a combination of plants, trees, flowers, grass, gardeners energy, is synergy.
Apple is world No. 1 revenue generated company in entire world, is perfect example of synergists ; teams, devices, admin & management, sales & management, innovation and development of its products, service to the public.
When two person meets physically and with mental harmony to produce miraculous birth of baby who have combine genes of both parent, is ultimate example of synergy. Strength and impact of a child, upon environment and importance for parents is much more greater result than process of fertility. It is 1+1 equal to 111. Child is your 111 result .
Don’t you look inside your formation and working of own body parts, organs, plan of working together with synergistic spirit, designed by God, all is very powerful and live illustration of synergy.
Formation of a family in the society and its nurturing has significant role in the history of civilisation. When husband and wife live and plan their future to form family in such a way that they will practice empathy, creative cooperation, being proactive, for not only upbringing of their offsprings but for themselves. Prosperity and stability and lifelong success of husband wife lies in their own success by practice of process of synergy in daily life events. It covers their morning and evening rituals to strengthen their family via felt-synergy. If they have any conflicts and matter of ego, they resolve it by 3rd alternative. Their children upbringing is result of both parent’s genes and dedicated thoughts for their children. Their child is also exhibiting highest performance than expected or other children of the society. These couples have firmly believe on synergy and they stick with patience, empathy and habits of put first things first.
Actually, third alternative thinkers can proved great marriage counsellor for saving marriage of thousands willing couples in the society. Their strategy to save marriage is by drifting attention of both partners towards higher way, rather than my and your way, thinking pattern. Husband and wife self-utterances, unsaid messages, unfelt feelings all are well communicated in this process of matrimonial synergy. Both decides to approach third way of thinking which will produce results one plus one is equal to 11 or greater. The degree of honesty will decide their prospect future along with children. Lessons to follow process of synergy must be fundamental and as important as their matrimonial civil oath.
Failed marriages can be cured by empathy only. Empathy is integral part of synergistic relationship. Both husband and wife do misunderstood each other and also do not want to admit their weaknesses. In synergy both take slices of truth to understand actual each other’s position. They experience each other from entirely different paradigm. This is greatest victory of their life via synergy. No therapy and nothing can heal their life in creative way in such a way that their future life is absolutely a brand new life and totally different from their past. It is of course due to that their paradigms have been transformed by process of synergy. They , now, do not stereotype and dictate each other because they are on road of success i.e. higher way as Dr. Stephen Covey say, its not my way , not your way, its higher way.
In corporate business world, paradigm of synergy is a great believe system of Managers and Directors for achieving higher productivity. The reason why when teams and departments intersect each other in the way they respect and reinforce agenda and functions aligned with organisational goals than miracle happens. Today we hear hundreds of global popular brands who has transformed all countries, cultures and corporate worlds everywhere. We never knew them 20-30 years ago and now they are global reality and part of our productive life everywhere. This is of course due to synergistic untidy work their companies have done under leadership of founders of their brands and in liason of their team with spirit of practices of believing in 3rd alternative way of life. One of great benefits of being synergistic that we turn authoritative leadership style into information knowledge worker age, in which People are minds and machinery are objects. You can achieve unlimited results by nurturing of minds as opposite of objects & machines to have limitations.
The method of synergistic process is described in Dr. Stephen Covey book “The 3rd alternative” it is four steps systematic process to enter into world of unlimited achievements and success. These steps are including:
- Show willingness to find a 3rd alternative
- Define what success looks like to everyone
- Experiment with solution until you
- arrive at synergy
The relationship between Manager and the employee is very tense in modern world and it does impact on performance and yields. There is dilemma of disloyal on both sides. Both do no trust each other and try to hide information and concentrate on non-verbal contract on piece of paper just with very limited and tied expectations. You cannot yield without open doors of trust and being agent of creative cooperation under philosophy of ‘Think Win-Win”. It is responsibility of the Boss to unleash potential of the employee by winning their hearts and unleashing mental intelligence for achieve departmental desired results. Boss is not boss with employee but a synergistic leader who avail and give opportunities surround him or her. I understand there are walls and define lines among team members in professional environment but these walls can suppress the potential and grip the minds to get limited results and slow pace progress , however, opposite is true and can be achieved. At the same time, employee must not work for only standard job description, he or she can work out of the way for growth and enhanced performance of their department of the organisation. I witness immense opportunities for those people who work beyond the secretarial or technical role. You actually attract next level when you do beyond your role and that is only possible when line-manager and employee open spaces for each other. They make each other weaknesses as irrelevant and create a unique cooperation to get immense benefits for all.
3rd alternative or synergy can be impact very positive in reign of politics in any country. For example, we see political segments in United Kingdom between Conservative and the Labour, In United States of America between The Democratic party and The Republicans, In Pakistan, Pakistan Muslim League and the Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf and in India Congress and the Bhartia Janta Party etc. and so on. All these popular mainstream parties of their countries have some strengths and lot of gaps in terms of solution of problems of their nations. One part can never fix all or most of them. Each part must be considered as a mind in continuous conversation with opposite parts with empathy. Both parties must understand and appreciate each other points and not to political point scoring against each others. Parliament must play a role of discuss and constructive results of both party’s point of view. After that they need to move forward to seek the 3rd alternative solution , the higher way. After this discovery, and approval from the parliament must go for other agency to implement in the state. I believe this simple achievable process should be initiated by their top leaders and they need to spread its awareness. We can see few decade before democracy was only practice in few countries, but gradually virtues of democracy spread and inspired other countries and nations until now where more than 90% population select their rulers by democracy. And this age of wisdom and information worker age where new ideas and creative or productive practices can spread and communicate rapidly.
I firmly believe that Dr. Stephen Covey’s greatest idea of the 3rd alternative must be part of academia and where there we can apply in our personal, family and professional life. Hence, on political and social level it will spread life fire in the Jungle.
Next age is age of synergy under age of Wisdom following by Information knowledge worker age. Are you ready ?
Maratib Ali Shad’s Official blog website - Life Mastery Success 