Humans have an inborn inclination toward comparing themselves to others based on social standing, achievements and hierarchy. This comparison doesn’t contribute to synergy, and remuneration systems, which reward individual efforts based on hierarchy, don’t encourage synergy formation. Synergy requires a non-hierarchic structure and lateral interactions between people of different levels.

In an organization’s environment in which hierarchy characterizes structure and culture strongly, tension can arise, and communication and cooperation; hence, synergy can be difficult to attain. Sadly, that’s the state of most organizations.