Synergy: A Journey Towards Collaborative Brilliance

Dr. Maria Montessori knew about the power of synergy. In discussing Cosmic Education, she helped us to see that all things in the universe are interdependent and interrelated. She said, "We shall walk together on this path of life, for all things are a part of the universe, and are connected with each other to form one whole unity.” (To Educate the Human Potential, p. 6). She developed the phrase “nazione unica” to describe how humanity evolved as an interdependent organism, in which we rely on one another for all of our vital needs.

Synergy is the combined power of a group of things or people working together to produce something greater than each could achieve alone. A conductor guides an orchestra to produce the sweet and uplifting notes of a symphony, and a gardener plants and waters the seeds to create a bounty of colorful flowers or vegetables. Creating a productive community requires similar skills and conditions. A conductor requires each musician to individually generate notes that come together with those of their fellow bandmates and turn into a cohesive melody. A gardener requires the individual seedlings to grow and add their fruits to the harvest, while the gardener eliminates and prevents the growth of weeds that may overpower the desired plants.

Common effort by all creates full production.

In the same way, creating synergy within your organization to reach specific goals requires common effort through a sequence of steps:

• clear goals and objectives aligned with your mission and values
• open and transparent communication among team members
• supportive and inclusive work environment where everyone feels valued and respected
• opportunities for cross-functional collaboration and teamwork
• innovation and creativity—freedom to explore new ideas and approaches
• clear understanding about the steps to reach goals and taking ownership of those steps
• continuous learning and professional development
• evaluating, assessing, and reflecting on the results of community effort

Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

Synergy is everywhere, throughout humanity and nature. When individuals come together, their unique perspectives merge, novel dynamics form, and the team becomes an entity of its own, with a stronger and more powerful perspective on approaching the task at hand.

Humans, by design, are social beings. Appreciating the power of synergy can help a community realize and understand the negative impact of non-acceptance of others, non-acceptance of diversity in our world, and unwillingness to contribute for the good of the organization. We must celebrate our differences and identify our ignorance and prejudices as internal barriers to celebrating diversity. If we can acknowledge our need for collective warmth, nurturance, and action, and each put our metaphorical log on the fire, we will kindle the spirit of productivity and life for all.

References

Montessori, M. To Educate the Human Potential. p. 6.

Association Montessori Internationale. (1970) AMI Communications, Vol. 4. Amsterdam, p. 5.

#montessori #synergy #collaboration