Synergy: The power of togetherness

When two or more people come together in the pursuit of a common goal, end or purpose, a synergy results. The common expression says that the sum of the parts are greater then the whole.

Consider a commonly known phenomena in physics called wave interference. Imagine two waves in motion. When those two waves collide, we have wave interference. When this happens, the waves either strengthen each other, or weaken each other, depending on whether both are positive, or one positive and one negative, respectively. In the case of the latter, the two waves can even cancel out or destroy each other, given that both waves have the same potency (or amplitude). However, when two waves interfere in a constructive or strengthening manner, the result is called a standing wave, which contains the combined force of the smaller waves that formed it.

 

Now the mathematics of the matter satisfies an intellectual explanation which provides one model and way of explaining the concept. Having said that, keep in mind that all models break down eventually. Most would agree that 1 + 1 + 1 ammounts to 3 when added together, which is simple math. However, in the case of synergies between people, it works a little different - 1 + 1 + 1 = 111 in the case of three people. Through true synergy, the contribution of each person involved in the synergy is dramatically amplified to produce something that is much, much more powerful and potent then the sum of its parts.

What is of value to realize is that not all synergies between people are constructive. A destrutive synergy, as in the case of 3 to the power of negative 3, results in -27. When this happens, the synergy ammounts to nothing, and in some cases, even less then nothing!

It is wonderful to observe and see how synergies between people work out there in the world -they are to be found all around us; relationships, marriage, friendship, organisations of all sorts, businesses and institutions, government, any kind of group movement and so forth. All of us have been, is or will be part of a synergy during the course of our lives. Upon considering the matter, you may see that many, many synergies do not produce the 111's, but more often then not a 0 or less. Why is this? Perhaps it is firstly due to a lack of understanding of how synergy and its underlying principle works. Perhaps it is difficult for people to really form a true synergy, because of personal agendas, control issues, insecurities and various other things, whether conscious or unconsious.

Because of the tremendous boost that working toghether makes possible for what a group of people is aiming to achieve, this common inability to form true synergies might actually not be such a bad thing. A kitchen knife can be used to cut bread, or to kill someone. Along the same lines, the tremendous amount of energy that can be generated when people are really synergising together can be used in either a constructive or desctructive way, as is the case with any kind of power. A danger lies especially with groups of people that are working together, who are not fully aware or in some cases even oblivious to how their group (and thus their own) energy is being used. It is possible and not uncommon that those who are directing the attention and thus the energy of groups of people, either small or huge in size, have what might be called 'uncosure' agendas. If you make your energy available to be used, you can be certain that it will be used. And perhaps that is the case with much of society. It is always better to be conscious then unconsious.

Note the phrase true synergy. As have been suggested, it is not too common to find just that - true synergies between people. Very few in the world really understand the amazing power of togetherness. There is a biblical story that might give a valuable perception on why so few can really work and synergize together, which is the towel of Babel.