A formula you can’t afford to ignore: 1 + 1 = 10

When I studied Applied Mathematics in college my professors somehow skipped one of the most important formulas...

1 + 1 = 10

There are certainly some things you can achieve by yourself. But it’s nothing compared to what people who combine forces can do together.

Some of the things that improve when you move from working as an individual to working with others:

LEARNING - “When one teaches, two learn.”

INTELLIGENCE - “No one of us is as smart as all of us.”

MORALE - Encouragement and camaraderie through the ups and downs.

NETWORKING - The I know a guy (or girl) effect.

OBJECTIVITY - Multiple perspectives approximate reality.

1 + 1 really is 10. We are social mammals. Relating and bonding are undervalued from a mental wellbeing and a productivity point of view.

So go ahead and invest in partnerships, form teams, join a network, make friends, value family, collaborate and be part of a community. In the long term you won’t be sorry.

I’ll end with a classic Adam Grant quote about the importance of helping each other:

“When everyone wants to be the smartest person in the room, teams become dumb and dumber. When people strive to raise the intelligence in the room, teams become smarter. Surround yourself with people who focus more on improving others than proving themselves.”