Sometimes, separate components can come together to form something far more valuable than the sum of its parts: a new chemical, a cake, a family, a business, a partnership. We call this "synergy." It's like the miracle of compound interest, if you think about it: one plus one equals way more than two. We've recognized the value of synergy throughout history, but it was only in the twentieth century that the great Buckminster Fuller created a term for it. We often see synergy in teamwork situations, where individuals lend their strengths to a collaborative framework in such a way that the contributions slot together perfectly, growing into a greater whole that expands beyond their limits. Ideally, this is what we're all reaching for as we build and shape our teams. When conditions are … [Read more...]