Habit #6: Synergize

This is the habit of creative cooperation. Basically, synergy is achieved when two or more people work together to create a better solution than either could alone. It’s not your way or my way but a better way—a higher way. The more we can get better at living the other habits, the more we will experience synergy as the reward.

To better understand synergy, it’s beneficial to see what synergy is not.

• It is not tolerating differences, but celebrating differences.
• It is not working independently, but choosing teamwork.
• It is not thinking you’re always right, but being open-minded.
• It is not compromise, but finding new and better ways.

Getting to synergy—whether it’s an argument with a loved one, picking teams for a game, or not seeing eye to eye with a friend—can sometimes be easier to accomplish with this action plan as a guideline:

Define the problem or opportunity.

• Their way: Seek first to understand the ideas of others.
• My way: Seek to be understood by sharing your ideas.
• Brainstorm: Create new options and ideas.
• Highway: Find the best solution.

This week, look around and notice how much synergy is going on all around you—on a team, in nature, between friends, in the business world. Think about the kinds of creative problem-solving these groups use and try to bring more of that creativity into your own problems and opportunities.