Chemistry
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Scanning USA Today the other day I spotted the article I was waiting for a savvy entertainment reporter to write. A lot of fans of American Idol have noted the chemistry between the three judges this year is jammin’. Most people wondered if the show would survive without Simon Cowell. Au contraire! Newcomers Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and veteran Randy Jackson have made it hipper, more interesting and fun.

I thought I would miss Cowell’s candor and killer quips. This new panel hail from the AAA-list of recording stars, but for some reason, they don’t act like it. They’re a team. They’ve found an authentic rhythm working together, and share a passion for supporting young talent. They’ve managed to avoid the self-indulgent, ego-driven banter that defined previous Idol panels, who often overshadowed the contestants on stage. Lopez is surprisingly, genuinely warm; Tyler’s credibility and encouragement puts smiles on the faces of all; Jackson is taking up the slack with more incisive critiques. They have star power but it isn’t about them, and they’re having a ball.

That got me thinking about how great teams find the chemistry that makes it all work. The willingness to set aside ego is big. It’s also this shared purpose that creates real harmony. Great teams respect each other (another quality that has been lacking on the Idol judge bench) and focus on the work at hand. They may disagree, but they don’t fuss about it. The result is lightning in a bottle. There’s nothing you can do to keep great chemistry down.

There is somebody in the background making those choices (the producers) and fostering the chemistry. In business that’s called leadership. Those producers knew what qualities they wanted in their judges and were able to articulate it. Sure there’s a little luck involved, but when you know what you want and you can describe it, you can find it.

When I started Bates Communications, I discovered this chemistry thing completely by accident. Although I’d experienced the wonder of chemistry on a television news anchor desk, where it equaled rating points, I stupidly didn’t make the leap to its importance in our office, at first anyway. Once it emerged, it was magic, and we strive to preserve it by hiring the right people and talking about it.

Knowing the chemistry you want to create will help you hire right and fire fast. Although it isn’t always about getting rid of people. For example, one of our clients had a guy on her team (who she didn’t hire) who was driving everybody crazy. She thought he was worth saving so she asked one of our executive coaches to work with him. After the tough love 360 feedback he had a come to Jesus experience. He realized he wasn’t acting in sync with his own values. His competitiveness had brought out a not-so-nice passive aggressive behavior, which he stopped. It was a matter of communicating what was expected. That didn’t just save his job, everybody’s getting along. The chemistry is back.

Great chemistry doesn’t imply perfect relationships. Most marriages with great chemistry still have healthy conflict, but when you put your head on the pillow at night it just feels right. Same thing at work. After a bad day, when there’s chemistry among the team, people walk out the door still liking their jobs and the people they work with.

Interestingly..Idol ratings have dipped only slightly - a surprise. Or maybe not. That’s what happens when everybody is happily singing the same song.