Helen Keller is known for a quote, "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." This is a truthful and powerful statement as she carefully stated, "together we CAN do so much." Like the cartoon, people can be co-inhabiting an area but not be working together. Furthermore, people can be working together and still not be accomplishing synergy. The potential is there but the full effect is lacking. So, then, what is synergy?
Geese flying in a "V" formation so accurately demonstrates synergy. By flying in a "V" formation, the flock of geese can travel 71% farther than one individual geese! For each flap of the wings, an updraft is created for the geese immediately behind the one flapping. In other words, synergy is when two or more team members work together to accomplish more than what could be accomplished alone. Effective leaders know how to create synergy within their teams!
The challenge is that teens would recognize this principle and overcome some personal barriers to make synergy happen. Here's how:
- Reject pride. Have a teachable spirit. Don't act like you have all of the answers. Be open-minded and look to first understand before trying to be understood (Sound familiar? Habit #5).
- Accept Diversity. Know each person on the team thinks, learns, and sees differently. This is the beauty of synergy! When so much diversity can work together to accomplish so much more than what could be accomplished alone.
- Persevere. Working together to make synergy happen is like a choir singing a song. Each individual MUST sing his or her part to make the whole sound right. However, each individual has to listen to each other to make sure everyone is in step and on key. This takes work and is not usually accomplished on the first attempt.
- Research. The team must find new and effective solutions. This takes the resourcefulness and creativity of each person to generate an effective solution that promotes, "win-win" solutions (Sound familiar? Habit #4).
Start improving your achievements by becoming the synergistic team player we all talk about but rarely achieve!
People may be working together but not truly working "together". You have to take everyones special talent or thinking and combine them all together with everyones traits. Be open to new and different ideas. Have a positive attitude and give effort in everything you do. Use other and do the best work you can.
ReplyDeleteI think that working together is so much better then working alone.My family,friends even teachers are working together to improve my life and to do their best.You also need to research what is problem in your team and apply win-win method and you e it best you can.
ReplyDeleteReject pride is big one and you need to apply it as much as possible and that is goal that leader needs to make happen.Accept diersity is also big one,you need to accept everybody and their lifestyle even if you dont like it,you need to make sure that it is on good level and everybody is working together to make peace in team group.Perservere-you also need to make sure that every member needs to apply best they can and give everybody chance to shine for a little bit but also important thing is to shine together like team !
i believe if people work together they get more work done than if they work alone.there are also a lot of challenge when working together because everyone has a different way of viewing things.To be able to be productive when working together it is best if we are open to different ideas and views because we can work together and end up not being productive if we let pride take over us
ReplyDeletePeople pretend to work together all the time. One person will ask for help and the other will do what is told but this is not teamwork. Teamwork needs synergy to truly e productive. Synergy creats an enviornment where everyone is working in harmony and learning. We need to learn that teamwork needs synergy not just one person telling others what to do. More work will get done if all participate.
ReplyDeleteI will admit that I sometimes "work" with someone else and actually have no clue at all what we are doing. You may ask then how do you know what to do? Well I really don't sometimes. If people work together in a group, you have to make sure everyone is using their talents to benefit the group. In order for teamwork to be productive everyone has to be on the same page and working hand-in-hand with everyone in the group. You should be able to finish your partner's sentence for them. Your project will get done much quicker and will be better if everyone is working together.
ReplyDeleteI actually wrote a blog about this last week and I really think synergy is a key to success. It can be involved in basketball and many everyday situations. People who do group projects will learn the material better and learn new qualities in cooperation and teamwork. The ultimate outcome will always be higher as you work together in groups with full commitment to learning. I don't do as well in math as other subjects but I like it when we are grouped together because my classmates can help me with the things that come difficult to me. And sometimes I help them with learning new chapters in math. Everyone benefits from the grouping
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I can think to say, is "United we stand, Devided we fall."
ReplyDeleteThis is a key concept in leadership. In order for teamwork to be effective, each individual has to do their part first. Then you put it together to get teamwork and synergy. If you aren't doing your part, then not only are you cheating yourself, but everyone who is counting on you to get something done. If you say you are going to do something for your team, follow through with it. Otherwise you will only continue to cheat your team and ruin the synergy.
ReplyDeleteIf a team works to together for a certain goal or a group of people, that is the most effective way too achieve a goal. For example if a football team wants to win a state championship it takes more than star players on a team to win it all, it takes an entire team working together doing their jobs on every play. Using synergy with your peers and people everywhere you go can help you both get that much closer to success.
ReplyDeleteIn order to make something succeed, you have to work together as a team. In doing that you have to put your pride aside and be willing to work with them. A team has to persevere through the hard times to get to their final goal that they work for. To work well together as a team, everyone has to know their part and do it well.
ReplyDeleteI think that leaders need to do their research. They need to know what they are talking about and what exactly they want to get accomplished. The leader needs to accept diversity so that they can understand their followers.
ReplyDeleteSynergy is often the most effective way to accomplish a goal. I think that the part about having a teachable spirit is especially important because if someone is not open to what others have to say and can contribute, you won't be getting the full picture of what you're trying to do.
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