Question

Discussion: (Note: Do not attempt to solve if you cannot answer all!!!!)

Trust, Cooperation, and Communication

"Synergy" is a buzzword. When synergy has been created, it is when the "whole has become greater than the sum of the parts." This is obviously something organizations strive to accomplish. To the degree that the individual employees and the various units of the organization work together in a manner that creates a greater positive whole than what the sum of all these parts could possibly accomplish, to that same degree the organization will perform at much higher level; it will compete much more effectively and powerfully against its industry rivals.

However, to achieve "synergy" within the organization, there needs to be an extraordinary level of positive communication among the employees and the various units of the organization. And Covey says that high levels of positive communication occur only as "trust" AND "cooperation" rise. Indeed, Covey says that a high level of positive communication is a function of a high level of trust combined with a high level of cooperation.

Please answer the following questions in detail:

1) Do you believe this? Why?

2) Many organizations possess a culture full of "competition" between employees for recognition, jobs, promotion, higher pay, etc., and between various units for resources and priority. In a competitive culture, what happens to trust? What happens to cooperation?

3) Can an organization COMPETE with its industry rivals to the highest degree of success if its employees and units COMPETE within it?

4) What do you prosper under the most, competition or cooperation? What brings out your best performance? Why?

Answer 1

Answer: -

Answer-1: -

Yes - it is team's synergy that achieve output. While working in organisation, individual skill set will deliver certain task and all task combines to form a value to organisation. This value doesn't come from one individual, it is collective effort that is called team work. Hence, synergy among team members, horizontal and vertical group teams is a must to enhance value of the organisation. Trust and cooperation among team is the quality of all team that will help to enhance value of the organisation otherwise teams would work in Silos thereby affecting the overall enhancement which it could achieve.

Answer-2

Competition is healthy but it would reduce trust and cooperation. Instead of competition organisation should promote 'COLLABORATIVE' culture. Collaborative culture will reduce competition but enhance individuals, teams, groups value creation capability with trust and cooperation being contributors to generate more collaborative culture.

Answer-3: -

Organisation cannot compete with its industry rivals to the highest degree of success if its employee and unit compete within it as it would slow down the pace of progress and value creation it can create. Hence, 'COLLABORATE' is right keyword instead of 'COMPETE'.

Answer-4: -

As stated earlier 'COLLABORATIVE' nature of organisation would reduce competition, increase trust, cooperation and synergy among teams, groups and overall organisation enhancing the overall organisation value creation process. Also, it is important to highlight with globalisation due to resource scarcity and competitiveness on scare resource has made competitive organisation to go on COLLABORATIVE mode instead of COMPETITIVE mode thereby competitive organisation able to extract value from scare resource.