Synergy. If you’re in business, it’s a word that has great meaning and huge potential positive impact. To have synergy means that two or more people are working together to the mutual benefit of both. Simply, it means you’re clicking with the people you’re working with. You’re in a groove together.

Everyone knows what it’s like to have synergy. You’re working on a project with someone or a group of people, you’re feeding off each other’s ideas and insights, you’re getting some serious work accomplished and – usually – it’s exciting and you have a great time. Here’s a good example: The Growth Coach just held the company’s annual national conference and, especially between the sessions when the coaches had a chance to chat, the synergy was amazing. We had coaches sharing ideas and best practices, veteran coaches working through issues with new coaches, newer coaches sharing some new ideas that have worked well… The synergy was outstanding.

Of course a meeting of the minds doesn’t have to happen just at a national conference. Sometimes it’s as simple as getting together with a few fellow chamber members for breakfast or having lunch with a mentor. Let’s face it, we’re all overwhelmed and over-worked and, if you’re a business owner, everything that goes on in that business is close to your heart. It can be difficult to make solid decisions, especially big decisions, without the insight of other people who understand your challenges.

Step back and take a look at the business people in your network. Who do you click with? Who do you enjoy meeting for lunch? Could two or three of you get together to talk about business development? Could their leadership experience help you make that big staff decision? Would your accounting background help them figure out which direction to take their bookkeeping?

No matter where you live or what community you serve, growth and development is vital to a healthy business. Rather than wait until your business feels stagnant and you’re low on inspiration, set up a standing lunch meeting with some of the people in that close network and see what you can accomplish by sharing and discussing ideas!