Create Chemistry

We live in world of human interconnectedness. These interconnections are governed by many things, including experiences, expectations, relationships, codes of conduct, values, beliefs, and history. As complex as these interactions can be between one person and another, the complexity skyrockets when applied to groups of people. Most interestingly, these social structures are not always formally defined or formally applied with rules and regulations; they emerge over time. In addition, the manifestation of these structures can lead to fantastic outcomes or outright war. The difference in how a group performs can be that drastic! Often, this phenomenon is called “team chemistry”. It is often measured quantitatively by psychologists as a combination of work styles, personalities, or skills. In my research and experiences, it seems to be this and something a little more. It is a set of values, codes of conduct, expectations, and way of working that emerge, are adopted, and form a noticeable and valued “identity” for the group. Through chemistry, a set of individuals accomplish more together through their shared talent than they could accomplish individually through their own talents. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It explains why a less talented set of people working collectively accomplish more than a group that is more talented but working individually. The thing to remember is that collective talent will outshine individual talent. The bigger the challenge, the more drastic the effect. Being a part of such a group and chasing something together that we could not achieve on our own is likely something that each of us has experienced at some point in our lives. Letting go and putting our faith in the abilities of others is a challenge. Yet, as discussed earlier, it is the way to navigate a more complex world and build an empowering place of work. There are key pieces of chemistry that can be defined, measured, and managed. Achieving it does not require luck. However, if luck grants it, then try not to ruin it!