5 Signs your team has Synergy!

One of the challenges in working with a team (especially in the church) is creating momentum that produce life change!  I have been on a couple of teams. Teams that seemed to create, experience, and maintain momentum, as well as teams that just dreamed and talked about having momentum. But there is one thing that I have found to be a catalyst in momentum and that comes from the synergy of the team you are apart of.

Synergy is the ability of your team to come together to stack hands and achieve thing together that’s bigger than what each of them could have done on their own.  It’s something that takes work to develop and protect, but once you have it, hang on for an incredible ride.  Here are things that I have seen from teams that have synergy.

Authentic Leadership – There is nothing more engaging than being on a team where authenticity is modeled!  From the platform to the one-on-one conversations an authentic leader allows others on the team to see them from the inside out.  Nothing catapults a team more than being able to see the heart behind the leader and leaders they are stacking hands with. I believe this is where synergy starts.

Celebration – Now I’m not talking about celebrating to the point that it looses its meaning!  I am talking about recognizing the work that’s being done by the efforts of the people on the team and by the people they lead.  Learning how to recognize the small victories encouragement to see bigger ones down the road.  Also, don’t limit the celebration just to work related things, celebrate the personal things also.  This communicates to your teammates that you care about them as a friend not just a co-worker.

Spending Time Together – We have all heard the saying, “Love is spelled TIME!” Teams that have synergy simply hang out together.  They have learned the value of doing life with the people they work with.  It doesn’t have to be a lot of time, but times spent with each other at work and away from work, goes a long way!

Trying New Things – Teams that seem to have synergy are not afraid to change/challenge the status-quo. This allows for the team to talk through strategy, express creativity, and achieve something together.  You may not need to create new things, but evaluate what you currently do and talk about how it might be done differently. Some people like to manage while others like change.  Learning a balance here is very important.  Timing is everything and can create or kill the synergy with in the team and the momentum of the organization.

Laughter & Learning – One of the greatest ways to establish and protect the synergy of a team is when it’s filled with both laughter and learning.  Create times where you learn together from God’s Word and other leaders.  You can do this by reading a book together, watching something together, or attending a conference together. It’s important spending time learning together, but it’s also important laughing together.  Create times where you simply hang out and enjoy being with each other, no agenda, just creating memories as a team.

These aren’t the only 5 things that can gauge synergy. But I’d be willing to bet if your team isn’t experiencing synergy and moment, one, if not more, of these 5 things are missing!