Beautiful Synergy
Have you ever gotten so into doing something that you lost track of time? Was it a book, a project, or a part of your job? Have you ever felt in the zone when playing a sport that you didn’t have to think about what to do next, you just moved and it all worked?
These are examples of being in flow. You are in touch with who you are, what you want to accomplish, and you're working at peak capacity. As obstacles pop up, you are able to manage them. You keep focused on your goal and flow with things as they change. You are able to see the big picture and the details all at once.
What if you could enter that flow state with other people and create something new? Whereas being in flow is intense focus while you are by yourself, synergy is intense focus within a group that is working together to create or solve something.
In building a joyful life, connection is important. Connection to yourself, connection to others, and connection to something larger than yourself. The ability to intertwine those connections can create synergy. It's a way of working and being in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Whereas you may work synergistically all day, every day, you can learn to access this for long periods of time. You can learn how to create the optimal conditions both within yourself and outside of yourself.
I like the way Emilie Wapnick describes this concept. She says that "Innovations come at the intersections."
So, how do you do your part to create synergy?
Step 1 - Know yourself really well. Specifically, you need to know what works for you and what doesn't. You need to be curious and willing to learn and adapt as needed. Things usually work out because you've dedicated yourself to finding the best fit solution not because you are sure you're right.
Step 2 - Trust in those around you. In order to truly create synergy, you need to work or live with people you really trust and who trust you. Worrying about being judged for saying or doing the wrong thing is a distraction from the work that could be done. Even if you do say or do something that doesn't work, apologize if needed and then move on. In terms of synergy and flow, the pull towards something can produce situations in which people don't take things personally and can focus on the solutions they are creating. There's also magic in putting together teams that are diverse rather than homogeneous. It may take more time to do so but the outcome is so much richer and more creative. The more voices, knowledge, and experience in the room, the more innovative the outcome can be. In a world economy, diverse and creative wins out over "this is how we've always done it".
Step 3 - Work toward something important. The something you choose may never be solved completely in your lifetime but that doesn't mean that you can't do your part. It is always more interesting and engaging to work toward something than it is to avoid something. (For example, think of how hard you are willing to work in order to not be fired vs. how hard you might work to solve world hunger.) This isn't to say you must devote every second of your life to one single worthy cause and never waiver but when creating synergy, it's imperative that you have a purpose. Whether you dedicate yourself to it for a day, a week, a year, or a decade will vary based on what you're doing but creating synergy is possible for all kinds of tasks, passions, and purposes.
What are you willing to commit to this week or this month that will set you up to create synergy in the future? Will you work on yourself, build your team, determine what you want to work towards, or something else? What makes sense to you?
I'd love to hear what you're working on! Send me a message and let me know.
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