Habit – Synergy

Principles of Creative Cooperation

Habit 6 – Synergize

Synergy

• The exercise of all the other habits prepares us for the habit of synergy

• Synergy:The whole is greater than the sum of its parts– E.g.. Planting 2 plants together– Combining 2 pieces of wood together

• Few people experience synergy in their lives because most people have been scripted into defensive or protective communications

Synergy in the Classroom

• Many truly great classes teeter on the very edge of chaos (maybe not synergistic)

• Synergy is possible in the classroom when the group collectively agrees to subordinate old scripts and to write a new one.

• (e.g. engaging in topics of interest to groups like in classroom debates where one person talks and then others follow.

– E.g.. in our class, students sharing experiences en-lifting the spirit in the class)

In group's discuss a topic that is meaningful, has purpose, provides creativity to all of you, gets you excited and all members in the group. How did this experience make you feel?

Synergy in Business

• To achieve synergy in business requires that people become open and authentic

• When we open ourselves up to the influence of others, we gain new insights and facilitate the generation of new options

• E.g.. Going to Banff or Jasper as a group to discuss a mission statement from looking at alternatives, possibilities and opportunities with respect for each other in mind

• Sometimes the philosophy of a business can change from the outcome of synergistic view's

Synergy and Communication

• The lowest level of communication coming out of low trust situations is characterized by defensiveness, protectiveness, and legalistic language which covers all the bases and spells out qualifiers and escape clauses in the event things go sour rather than offering good solutions

• The middle level of communication is respectful communication -- where fairly mature people communicate.

• Members listen but not empathetically and may compromise

• The highest level of communication is synergistic (win/win) communication

• E.g.. David Lienthal, after WWII to head the Atomic Energy Commission whom hired a group of intellectuals building EMB by fostering openness and communications inciting synergy promoting team members to listen to and address issues or concerns from peers in the team positively

Levels of Communication

Fishing for the Third Alternative

• In many compromise situations there is usually a third alternative.

• Synergistic third alternatives are often better for both parties than their original alternatives.

• Seeking the third alternative is a major paradigm shift from the dichotomous either/or mentality.

• Eg. Wife’s mother is ill in Vancouver and you as a father want to go on a fishing trip with the kids in Winnipeg.

Exercise: You’ve booked a cabin, fishing boat, Quads etc. What will you do in this situation?

Exercise: Fishing for the third alternative

• Role play an alternative synergistic solution to a real life situation that you are about to or have experienced

Negative Synergy

• A lot of time and energy is expended in negative energy:

– Confessing other peoples sins– Rivalry– Interpersonal conflict– Protecting ones back– Masterminding– Second guessing

• highly dependent people are trying to succeed in an interdependent reality – win/lose. Lose/win and minimal win/win (just listening)

• Many people don't realize that the real strength of any relationship is having alternative points of view.

• Some people use the left part of the brain (logical, verbal)• We don’t use our right brain (Intuitive, creative and visual) as often as we should Q. What do you

think?

• E.g.. Husband and wife with difficulties in marriage – using half their brains realizing on Covey’s intervention at a restaurant that their common interest topic was their 2 children. To tal synergy

Negative Synergy Exercise

• In your groups do a role play of a negative synergy scenario.

• One person will be a mediator and intervene when necessary to poise a question to the rest of the group to encourage a discussion to overturn the negative synergy to positive a positive synergy outlook.

Valuing the Differences

• Valuing the differences is the essence of synergy.• • The truly effective person has the humility and

reverence to recognize his own perceptual limitations and to realize the rich resources available through interaction with the hearts and minds of other people.

• If two people have the same opinion, one person is unnecessary.

Force Field Analysis

• Any current level of performance or being is a state of equilibrium between the driving forces that encourage upward movement and the restraining forces that discourage it.

• Driving forces generally are positive, reasonable, logical, conscious, and economic.

• Restraining forces are often negative, emotional, illogical, unconscious, and social/psychological.

• E.g. The land developer and the bank officials

Conclusion

• You don't have to take insults personally.

• You can sidestep negative energy.

• You can look for the good in others.

• You can express ideas, feelings, and experiences in a way that will encourage others to be open also