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.
• Few people experience synergy in their lives because most people have been scripted into defensive or protective communications.
• Synergy can be unnerving unless one has a high tolerance for ambiguity and gets security from integrity to principles and inner values.

Synergy in the Classroom

• Many truly great classes teeter on the very edge of chaos.
• Synergy is possible in the classroom when the group collectively agrees to subordinate old scripts and to write a new one.

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.

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.
• The middle level of communication is respectful communication -- where fairly mature people communicate.
• The highest level of communication is synergistic (win/win) 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.

Negative Synergy

• Most highly dependent people are trying to succeed in an interdependent reality.
• Many people don't realize that the real strength of any relationship is having alternative points of view.

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

• Driving forces generally are positive, reasonable, logical, conscious, and economic.
• Restraining forces are often negative, emotional, illogical, unconscious, and social/psychological.

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.