Leadership is not defined by the exercise of power but the capacity to increase the sense of power among those led. – Mary Parker Follet
There is a special kind of energy when a team is truly in sync. There exists a flow state. Meetings feel purposeful, ideas bounce freely, and challenges get tackled with clarity and collective strength. When you experience this kind of energy, that is team synergy.
One thing leaders often misunderstand about synergy: it comes through a level of connection that does not happen by accident. It is nurtured consistently and patiently.
In today’s workspaces, where remote fatigue, rapid change, and stretched bandwidth are the norm, it isn’t enough for teams to work well together. Leaders need to actively create conditions for synergy where team connections feel energizing rather than exhausting.
Let’s look at a few principles rooted in practice that leaders can apply to create synergy and move forward from functioning teams to flourishing teams.
Create Psychological Safety
Safety is the foundation for synergy. When team members feel safe to speak up, ask questions, and even challenge ideas without fear of humiliation, synergy becomes possible.
Here are a few things that you can attempt as a leader to create psychological safety for synergy.
- Modelling curiosity: Share things you are uncertain about and seek insights and ideas from the team. When you model this kind of humble, collaborative leadership, it demonstrates that everyone’s voice matters.
- Using check-ins: Check-ins are a great way to get a sense of where everyone is. A question like what’s the one thing on your mind before we begin is a helpful way to start meetings.
- Celebrating learning moments: When goofs, mistakes, and errors are treated as learning moments to be celebrated, it helps people learn and know that there is room to make mistakes (within reason).
Psychological safety matters because it creates a space which encourages openness, reduces intra-team politics and unlocks innovation.
Clarify Shared Purpose
When people understand what they are doing along with why it matters, they do things differently. A clear purpose energizes the team, aligns decisions and helps navigate tensions.
Here are a few things that you can do as a leader for creating shared purpose that leads to team synergy.
- Co-create a team charter, standards for meeting processes, or a shared “north star.”
- Begin each project or meeting with a reminder of its relevance to larger goals and where it fits into the bigger picture.
- Highlight how each person’s role connects to the mission.
Clarifying and driving home the shared purpose connects individual efforts to collective impact and gives meaning to the day to day. There is research around adult learning as well which states that having a clear understanding of the why helps adults learn better – a key point to leverage at work. (Knowles, 1980)
Use Structured Collaboration Techniques
Even the best of teams can fall back into habitual dynamics where some voices dominate and others disappear. Structured collaboration offers a space for equity and creativity.
Here are a few techniques to apply as a leader to support collaboration and synergy.
- Assign rotating roles in meetings. For example, identify a facilitator, devil’s advocate, a timekeeper for critical agenda items to be discussed.
- Host regular check-ins on project debriefs to support continued collaboration, learning, and alignment.
- Engage in Circle Conversations, where a topic is introduced and all voices chime in with their perspectives. (Need to learn and implement in your workplace?? Look at our Harmony Circles offering here!)
Intentional structure builds fresh perspectives and balances team contributions. It creates shared ownership of the projects.
Acknowledge and Manage Conflict Proactively
Where there can be synergy, there can also be friction. Conflict can be productive if and when handled well. Avoiding tension undermines trust and addressing tension can deepen connection.
Here are a few things you can do as a leader to reduce friction and increase synergy.
- Check-in when tensions arise. Sometimes, it is good practice to approach individuals who are struggling and see if they need some help processing what’s happening.
- Normalize the idea of friction by demonstrating your own capacity to handle and consider targeted feedback, constructive critiques, and multiple perspectives.
- If your organization has an ombuds, then use that resource to help facilitate sensitive conversations.
Addressing and managing friction in a conflict positive manner builds emotional agility and trust that continues to grow through disagreement. It builds emotional intelligence, strengthens culture and avoids festering issues.
Make Appreciation a Habit
Recognition fuels connection. Appreciating people makes them feel valued and supports their sense of purpose within an organization.
Here’s a few things that you can do as a leader to appreciate, increase connection and foster synergy.
- Incorporate gratitude rounds into team meetings. Or do shoutouts to team members in meetings.
- Celebrate small wins intentionally. Apply small gestures, such as a handwritten note or a personalized email or slack message. This helps individuals feel seen, valued and appreciated.
- Use the 3R framework of recognition. Appreciation and recognition should be regular, in real time and relational.
These practices boost morale of the team and increase relational trust which is key for synergy.
Regular micro moves for long-term macro impact
Synergy doesn’t come from a single offsite or a one time training. It grows because of the small, consistent moves leaders make every day: how leaders listen, facilitate, respond and reflect.
If you are someone looking to spark synergy, don’t wait for perfect conditions. Start small. Pick one or two strategies, experiment, and observe what’s working and how the team energy shifts slowly but steadily. When synergy starts to take root, it changes everything.
What is the one small action you will take this week to build synergy in your team? Share in the comments or reach out to us at Harmony Strategies Group to explore how we can support your journey through facilitation, coaching or workshops.
A Few Helpful Resources
What is Psychological Safety? by Harvard Business Review
Why good leaders make you feel safe | TED Talk by Simon Sinek
References
Knowles, M. S. (1980). The Modern Practice of Adult Education: from Pedagogy to Andragogy. Cambridge Adult Education. https://www.umsl.edu/~henschkej/articles/a_The_%20Modern_Practice_of_Adult_Education.pdf
