"There are precious few Einstein's among us. Most brilliance arises from ordinary people working together in extraordinary ways." -Roger von Oech

Communication is critical to the success of any organization or company, now more than ever.

Teams with synergism are able to create the momentum necessary to keep everyone involved and moving forward during troubled times. If the way your team is communicating is not currently and consistently creating synergism, then it is clearly a "knowledge base" issue. We cannot continue to try harder at what is not working, expecting outdated models to suddenly work. It is through learning effective techniques for bringing things "out into the open" that your team will have optimum health.

Many of us come from backgrounds where the predominant way of dealing with difficulties has been: "Don't talk about it, and maybe it will go away!" Well, it's imperative that we break through the avoidance and barriers of silence. You open the doors of communication with your team by learning how to really hear what needs to be said. What you're listening for is innovating problem solving ideas and language.

The challenge? Become a team of internal entrepreneurs. The only way through these troubling economic times is to be deliberate, intentional and determined about creating a team with vision. Do the work to open up communication, and your team will be functioning in the Zone consistently, and for a long time to come. Teams that are reorganized frequently have all the more reason to build these foundational pieces to be carried forward as groundwork for each new team experience.

The best way to generate an entrepreneurial mentality within your team is to decide differently about the opportunity being presented for your company: to organize at a higher level. This is your team's opening to be more creative. Your team has the capacity to eliminate any and all fragmentation with higher levels of team alignment through 1) efficiency and trust, 2) owning personal power without being "over" powering, and 3) to truly be able to work with synergism.

How does a team organize itself at higher more efficient levels, when it's got a bunch of "wild geese" refusing to fly in formation?

It does this with frank discussions about everything from company finances to messages of appreciation.  We far, far, far underestimate each other's ability to deal powerfully and creatively in troubled times - and by this one misconception alone, we diminish the true capacity of our team to create new, innovative solutions to replace old, worn out conditions and situations.

How do you get your team to function in the Zone consistently, despite the current "realities"? Invest in the obvious. Ultimately, companies which treat their employees with respect and show concern for their personal and professional well-being are most likely to emerge from a downturn with their morale intact.

During these most dramatic times it's even more important to focus on relationship-building, education and creative thinking, which motivates more than ever the capacity to try out new skills that could remedy problems. Learning resources provide more than new skills, they inspire a renewed sense of purpose. To employees, training symbolizes your investment in them. To the company, training is an investment in its most valuable asset: human capital.

"Tell me, and I forget. Teach me, and I remember. Involve me, and I learn."
--Benjamin Franklin