By Peter Jeff
The Leadership Mints Guy

Here’s an idea to help you generate enhanced synergy.

Rocky Balboa, the struggling boxer in the movie Rocky, explains the apparent mismatch in the relationship he has with his girlfriend. Adrian is so very different from him — in personality, in behavior, and in habits:

Rocky and Adrian together have no gaps

“I got gaps. She’s got gaps. Together, we’ve got no gaps.”

And together, their synergy is exemplary.

I’d like to think that leaders do what lovers do. They fill the gaps between individuals to create meaningful, interdependent relationships—teams — that brings out the best in each other where the sum is many times greater than the parts, where the individuals become so much more potent in working as a team.

Meet Charlotte and Leonard. Theirs is a special relationship, one born out of mutual love that draws them from opposite ends of the county. Charlotte and Leonard —married but not to each other- meet nearly every day to make beautiful moves together. Their individual spouses don’t mind. Their rendezvous is a closer encounter of another kind where the only romance is their love for rhythm and grace, their zeal for precision and poise. They are ice dancers. A dynamic duet, filling each other’s gaps and complementing-more than merely complementing- their individual performances.

Indeed, Fred Astaire had his Ginger Rogers and Ginger Rogers had her Fred Astaire. Spencer Tracy had his Katherine Hepburn and Katherine Hepburn had her Spencer Tracy. Humphrey Bogart had his Lauren Bacall and Lauren Bacall had her Humphrey Bogart. They filled the gaps in each other. They brought out the best in each other. They led each other to higher horizons.

In fact, the most effective leaders I have known teamed up with a partner who helped them fill their gaps. And together they celebrate their ultimate achievement together with their own version of Rocky’s triumphant Shout Out to his partner in bridging the gap and sharing the winning moment: AAADREEEANNNNN!

Today’s ImproveMINT
Fill your professional and personality to keep your leadership thinking in mint condition.

You might also like these previously served Leadership Mints on Relationship Building and Teamwork.

Teamwork- Saying I’m Sorry the Write Way
Leaders are Lovers
Leaders Mantra: Relationship Building’R Us

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