just waiting tobe harnessed and released—the power that becomes available to us when we connect with others. Synergy is the explosive momentum for growth that occurs once we tap into it. And synergy never happens in isolation; it only exists in relationships.
T HE P OTENTIAL OF S YNERGY
The wise and ancient king Solomon understood synergy. He wrote:
Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
(E CCL . 4:9–12)
Solomon is referring to good, right, win-win, synergistic relationships. All of us know what happens in wrong, bad, losing, antagonistic relationships. When someone falls down, the other person may not have the ability or desire to help him up, and the relationship can be quickly and easily broken. But God-intended, God-designed relationships are filled with benefits for everyone involved. If you look closely at Solomon’s observations, you willsee that when you invest your life in the right people and enter into synergistic relationships with them, you step into a realm of protection, provision, and promotion.
Synergy provides protection.
Have you ever had a moment when you realized you were your own worst enemy? Maybe you ended up with a problem because you did not know any better or you did not have all the information you needed. Or maybe you made a bad decision because you took advice from the wrong person.
In a mutually beneficial, synergistic relationship, you could easily find yourself linked with someone wiser and more experienced than you are, someone who can help you avoid decisions and situations that will destroy your future. You could also develop a synergistic relationship with someone less experienced than you are in certain areas, but who has precisely the words of wisdom or advice you need. Regardless of age or experience, a true synergistic friend will stand with you and provide the protection of companionship and prayer. That person can also offer you the protection of important perspectives that guide your decisions, insights you may not think of on your own.
Synergy brings provision, production, and promotion.
Solomon asks: “Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?” (Eccl. 4:11). I see a broader question here: “How can a person not only keep warm but move forward and grow, alone?” It is not possible! A critical key to seeing increase in your life is refusing to isolate yourself and, instead, joining with other productive, loyal people. So often in life, we end up metaphorically in the cold, broken or stuckbecause we insist on going our own way and refusing to allow others to help.
When two people working together are headed in the same direction with the same mind-set, both will reach their destinations faster than they will alone, and each will go farther than they could go by themselves. Each can also provide guidance and encouragement to the other along the way. If you want to be most productive, connect with people who will add value to your life and give you the support, wisdom, and help you need. When you reach a high level of productivity in your life, your chances of promotion will increase. Whether that means a literal promotion in your career or an opportunity for greater influence, enjoyment, or responsibility in some other area of your life, productive people are the ones who get promoted.
As you evaluate current relationships and consider new ones, I urge you to look for people who are headed to the same places you want to go and who understand that unity of heart and mind leads to accelerated progress, provision, and promotion.
Synergy enables prevailing power.
Solomon concludes his
T HE P OTENTIAL OF S YNERGY
The wise and ancient king Solomon understood synergy. He wrote:
Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
(E CCL . 4:9–12)
Solomon is referring to good, right, win-win, synergistic relationships. All of us know what happens in wrong, bad, losing, antagonistic relationships. When someone falls down, the other person may not have the ability or desire to help him up, and the relationship can be quickly and easily broken. But God-intended, God-designed relationships are filled with benefits for everyone involved. If you look closely at Solomon’s observations, you willsee that when you invest your life in the right people and enter into synergistic relationships with them, you step into a realm of protection, provision, and promotion.
Synergy provides protection.
Have you ever had a moment when you realized you were your own worst enemy? Maybe you ended up with a problem because you did not know any better or you did not have all the information you needed. Or maybe you made a bad decision because you took advice from the wrong person.
In a mutually beneficial, synergistic relationship, you could easily find yourself linked with someone wiser and more experienced than you are, someone who can help you avoid decisions and situations that will destroy your future. You could also develop a synergistic relationship with someone less experienced than you are in certain areas, but who has precisely the words of wisdom or advice you need. Regardless of age or experience, a true synergistic friend will stand with you and provide the protection of companionship and prayer. That person can also offer you the protection of important perspectives that guide your decisions, insights you may not think of on your own.
Synergy brings provision, production, and promotion.
Solomon asks: “Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?” (Eccl. 4:11). I see a broader question here: “How can a person not only keep warm but move forward and grow, alone?” It is not possible! A critical key to seeing increase in your life is refusing to isolate yourself and, instead, joining with other productive, loyal people. So often in life, we end up metaphorically in the cold, broken or stuckbecause we insist on going our own way and refusing to allow others to help.
When two people working together are headed in the same direction with the same mind-set, both will reach their destinations faster than they will alone, and each will go farther than they could go by themselves. Each can also provide guidance and encouragement to the other along the way. If you want to be most productive, connect with people who will add value to your life and give you the support, wisdom, and help you need. When you reach a high level of productivity in your life, your chances of promotion will increase. Whether that means a literal promotion in your career or an opportunity for greater influence, enjoyment, or responsibility in some other area of your life, productive people are the ones who get promoted.
As you evaluate current relationships and consider new ones, I urge you to look for people who are headed to the same places you want to go and who understand that unity of heart and mind leads to accelerated progress, provision, and promotion.
Synergy enables prevailing power.
Solomon concludes his
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