By : Ghislaine Labelle

Synergy in Action: How Accountability Drives Team Excellence

PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND CREATIVE COOPERATION

The whole is greater than the totality of its parts, and the way to achieve this is through synergy, empowering management styles, and supportive structures and systems. In an environment of trust and open communication, team players are able to generate creativity, improvement, and innovation beyond the totality of their individual actions.

As leaders and employees develop a win-win attitude, practice empathetic communication, demonstrate reliability, and build trusting relationships, synergy becomes the fruit of their efforts, and with it comes continuous improvement and constant innovation.

Synergy between players is essential! When results aren’t achieved, it’s not just one player who loses, but the entire team. Personal accountability begins with oneself.

What happened to personal responsibility?

Why does it seem that the only thing people seem capable of doing is pointing the finger or blaming someone or something…for their problems, their actions, and their emotions?

Anecdote: One day, while stopping at a gas station for gas, I wanted to buy a coffee. The carafe was empty, so I mentioned this fact to an attendant in front of me. The attendant then pointed to another employee who was a few feet away and said, “Coffee is HIS department!”

Department? At a gas station that was roughly the same size as my living room.

We continually hear: “…it’s not my fault…it’s not my responsibility…it’s not part of my job description…it’s not my problem!”

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

– When will this department do its “job”?

– Who dropped the ball?

– Why don’t they communicate “properly”?

– Why do we have to continually experience all these changes?

– When will they take the time to train me?

Questions are often disguised statements…Even if these questions seem innocent, they all ooze a lack of personal responsibility!

WORKING TOGETHER, IN PERFECT SYNERGY

When a team works in perfect synergy, no threat is perceived in the abilities of others, therefore no need for surveillance, or even spying, linked to jealousy.

In the event of conflict, the team coach will know how to keep his distance and dissociate people from the conflict or problem that arises, focusing on the interests and concerns of others rather than sticking to his positions.

Together, we arrive at synergistic solutions that are, in general, much better than the original proposals, thanks to the compromise by which everyone “gives” and “receives”.

A powerful synergy is manifested when everyone chooses to let go of the desire to be right at all costs, and is willing to hear and understand the perceptions of others, and is willing to commit to a new common perception that is beneficial to all.

“Together” we can create a new solution that will benefit everyone!”