The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People | Habit 6: Synergize

 

The Power of Synergy

Think about your favorite band. It’s a group of musicians who play different instruments and blend vocals to create a bigger, more complex sound than any musician could produce alone. That is synergy.

Stephen Covey’s sixth habit, Synergize, is like your favorite band but in the workplace. It’s about teamwork, compromise, and the fact that people working together can achieve exponentially better outcomes than those working alone.

Covey describes synergy as creative cooperation. It’s when 1 + 1 equals 3 or more. But it requires mutual trust, vulnerability, and the courage to be open to a challenge. From a leader’s perspective, synergy allows for innovation and unlocks a team’s hidden potential.

In today’s business environment, which is marked by rapid change, distributed teams, and increasing complexity, leaders can no longer rely on siloed decision-making or command-and-control thinking. The best solutions come when people bring diverse backgrounds, ideas, and strengths to the table.

 

Executive Agenda’s Chuck Croft reflects on this in his leadership journey:
 

"The first time I truly experienced synergy as a leader, it felt like everything clicked. It wasn’t just that people were aligned, we were building off each other’s insights in real-time. The result wasn’t a compromise. It was a solution none of us had even thought of at the start. I’ve learned that synergy thrives when egos are put aside. You don’t need to be the smartest person in the room. You need to be the most curious. That’s how real breakthroughs happen."

_{~ Chuck Croft, Executive Agenda Group Chair}

 

How Leaders Can Foster Synergy

To create synergy, leaders must do more than invite input. They must cultivate an environment where everyone feels safe contributing, even when opinions differ.

Practicing this habit means:

• Encouraging healthy conflict
  Synergy doesn’t come from avoiding disagreement but from understanding it and managing it constructively.

• Valuing diversity of thought
  Different perspectives are not threats - they are assets that challenge assumptions and help people think creatively.

• Listening deeply
  Truly understanding where someone is coming from makes all the difference when working together.

 

Synergy Creates Better Decisions and Stronger Teams

When synergy is present, teams move beyond cooperation into co-creation. Decisions are smarter, outcomes are more innovative, and people feel a sense of ownership in the process. Synergy fosters better ideas and a deeper connection and commitment across the team.

For executive leaders, this isn’t optional. It’s essential. Synergizing is all about multiplying your impact by tapping into the collective genius of those around you.

Habit 6 reminds us that leadership isn’t a solo pursuit. The most effective leaders know the importance of unlocking the power of “we.” And when they do, the results often exceed all expectations.
 

Up next: Sharpen the Saw with Habit 7

Be sure to check in next month when we discuss Covey’s seventh habit of his Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Sharpen the Saw.

This habit encourages continuous self-renewal and personal growth, emphasizing the importance of regularly refreshing and improving yourself to stay effective.
 

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