Abstract
Synergy or working together represents a conceptual and theoretical advance in understanding organisations that has provided the theme of recent training and development presentations. It is so basic a concept that it can be either easily dismissed or even overlooked in societies which focus on the individual. Dramatic and suggestive examples of synergy can be found in the physical sciences, arithmetic, the social sciences and humanistic psychology. Five leadership styles are explored, with organisations low in synergy being characterised by conflict. Managers can be trained, in con trast, to achieve high synergy. Alignment first transforms their vision so that it is shared by the organisation and then any increase in synergy or combined action brings many benefits, including the mutual enhancement of management and staff. Once accepted as a concept, practical ways can be devised of seeking synergy such as autonomous time structuring, or ganisational newsletters, selected social activities and feedback procedures.