--Henry Ford

Synergy is a word that implies that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It's a coming together of energies that is made clear by the Greek roots of the word: syn + ergos = ‘together working' which is what Henry Ford was saying in his quote. It has a scientific application but is a great word for business aptitude, as in, combining forces to create a greater momentum, a greater whole.

We all know about the great teams that have worked together to make history. I may be an entrepreneur but I also head a large organization so I know just how important this concept is. We work as a team here and yet I demand that each person have an individual responsibility. They need to be able to work independently. It's much like The Apprentice--each candidate needs to exhibit an individual excellence as well as the ability to be a team player. That's not always easy, but it's a combination of forces that will make you far more viable in the marketplace.

Results matter in business. There are different strategies but I can tell you the best one is as mentioned above. It's similar to one of the techniques I apply in negotiations--I consider where the other side is coming from. When you have a job, always consider the big picture and the gestalt of the organization first. That way it will be clear what contributions you can make that will be the most helpful. When everyone works that way, success is much easier to attain. You will also be on the wavelength of the CEO--because it is his or her job to keep the organization healthy, vital and moving forward.