Synergy in business or communication is very benefiting where people ideas, companies and opinions are merged to achieve a goal. You might own a business where you have both internal or external teams or shareholders who have a say in your business activities. In as much as we need people ideas, contributions and sometimes to merge in making better decisions, we also need to be very observant when people ideas and contributions are breeding internal grief and conflict. This will definitely have a tremendous negative effect in your business. It could be an interpersonal, cultural or political clash. Has the head, you are in total control to put things together and to avoid taking sides with different people in your team.
Negative synergy can be simply be explained as 2+2=1, while positive synergy can be described as 2+2=5.
I can remember when I worked for a federal parastatal in Nigeria. I had a team to work with and it was a very terrible experience. Opinions of my team mates kept conflicting, gossips grew and this made us disunited in our daily surveys. People had teams in the same team and surely, everyone wanted to buy me over to their own "imaginery team" or should I say, "gossip group"?
I guess they needed to give themselves a title already because it became very obvious that we were not united unlike the rest of the teams.
The conflict faced there affected the results, goals and our targets expected of us from the federal government. In fact,we had to redo the job because of the bad reports we got from the government. If I was very knowledgeable then, maybe I would have taken it upon myself to profer solutions on how to bring them together and most importantly, having equal consideration of everyone contributions.
In your work place, be it as an employer or employee, there might be a person or people who you are not comfortable with, their opinions feels like "Batman" crushing you beneath the ground. You feeling that way doesn't make you a bad person, we don't always have to agree with people all the time. But we can always learn to reduce that internal conflict for the sake of the growth of the business.
What you need to do?
1. Value People Differences
Valuing people differences does not mean you need to implement their ideas. But listening and reasoning several contributions can create an equal atmosphere for openness. Don't talk down on someone's idea in the presence of the remaining team mates, this might create an internal grief among your team members which will end up affecting your business.
2. Always release a creative energy
So, it was our last session in the university and everyone was tired of the routinized class. Teaching the normal course outline, listening and jotting down, and probably, maybe an unexpected test. Surprisingly, had a different experience from our lecturer. He came to the class all smiling, in his words "let's create our course outline". This was very weird and unimaginable but it became a very interactive and unforgettable moment. He actually released an energy to "create: something in class with different people opinions. We concluded with a very comfortable and benefiting course outline and everyone seems to be engaged. That is what synergy can do. Apply this to your business and create an air for openness.
3. Deal with it at instance
Once you notice some level of negative energy been created in your business teams, don't wait for it to linger. Remember, any toxic interactions among your team both internally or externally is your business because that can affect the revenues, profits and innovations.
In conclusion, 2(two) will always be better than 1(one). We all need each other to get to the highest hill. No matter how independent you are, to achieve better, you need to be interdependent. Therefore, thriving to create a positive synergy in your start-up or already established business should be in your priority list. Why? because you will make cooler cash, and I know you would love that : )
I hope these few tips may help. Thanks for visiting my blog, love from here.
I have also had negative work environments, the advice you give is very good, more than one should put them into practice
Yes my friend. Always check your responses to negative atmosphere make sure they are neutralized by positivity.