Cultural Synergy

Synergy is a common term that comes up on a regular basis in the professional world.  I really can’t think of an industry that does not use this term or benefit from it in one way or another.  I think it’s important to first acknowledge that in this day and age, the term synergy has mostly become buzzword.  A lot of time when it is thrown out in the workplace, it inevitably has no substance or true actions behind it.  “Synergy is cool. Synergy is hip. Unfortunately, though, more often than not the term is tossed around an organization as a buzzword that doesn’t really mean anything.” (PSU WC, 2020, L.6) The reality, there is a greater meaning behind the word synergy, and it has the potential to have a significant positive affect on organizations.

“Synergy is the synthesis of what each individual in the group has to offer. It is about the whole being greater than the sum of its parts in the way an automobile is more than the pile of its individual parts.” (PSU WC, 2020, L.6)

Not that we have a brief introduction to synergy, I wanted to focus my post on cultural synergy.  When we say cultural synergy, we can immediately relate it to the description above but apply a cultural aspect to it.  I think it is safe to say that we can make the assumption that every culture has the potential to bring unique perspectives, skills, and practices.  “Cultural synergy is about using the diverse perspectives of various cultures to create something that is greater than each individual culture.” (PSU WC, 2020, L.6)

Like everything, we also need to remember that cultural synergy comes potential downsides that should be recognized.  We talk about creating synergy, we are almost always talking about bring people together as a team.  Without even introducing cultural differences, there is the chance for conflict with individuals that may have all been raised in the same culture, ideas, and views.  This is simply because, we are all individuals with our own perspective on how we should accomplish something.  Now let’s take this and frame it in the context of a culturally diverse team. There is a strong potential for conflict between the individuals on the team.  “Cross-cultural situations are almost guaranteed to generate constant conflict because of differing perspectives, not to mention possible language barriers and other communication issues that may lead to misunderstandings.” (PSU WC, 2020, L.6). Does this mean that we should be discouraged to put together a team with the potential for strong cross-cultural synergy?  No, it simply means that we need to plan a bit more, define clear goals, and excite the team on what can be accomplished if they work together.

I personally have the opportunity to work on such teams and a weakly basis.  I have seen both sides of this concept.  I have had teams that barely could get off the ground simply due to cultural conflict that could not be overcome.  On the other hand, I am currently on a team with individuals from around the world that despite some early conflict, we are all committed and excited to reach our goal.

Pennsylvania State University World Campus (2016). OLEAD 410 Lead Global Context. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2041071/modules/items/27977820