The power of two

We suits have started a book club at work. We select a text that has some relevance to our industry, all read it then get together to discuss it. We had our inaugural get together last week where we were discussing “The Power of Two”, the fact meets fiction philosophy of one of our clients dunnhumby.

The basic premise of the philosophy is really simple: It’s that two people together with complementary strengths can do anything (goodness knows dunnhumby have proved this.) It sounds really obvious, but if you think about it, it’s not how great achievers have been positioned throughout history and in fiction. It tends to be hero plus often inferior side kick. Think Batman and Robin, Sherlock and Watson, Scooby and Shaggy (put that one in for my children) where one hero dominates with the other following benignly behind. But actually isn’t it the case of them having different strengths and qualities but the more charismatic marketable able ‘people person’ become the main focus of attention?

Conversely in the real world think about how many great business are in equal pairs – Dolce & Gabbana, Ernst & Young, Ogilvy & Mather to name the first few that spring to mind. Strength in business so often comes from working in pairs, the most powerful and successful combinations when the strengths and skills complement, working in harmony. The strongest personal relationships too, tend to be where each individual has different strengths.

I find this particularly relevant to me in both my professional and personal life where I am markedly different in my skills and strengths from both my husband and Jo (with whom I do most of my work). In each case our whole ends up being far greater than the sum of the parts. I truly believe that there is no end to what you can achieve with the power of two.