I was just baking cookies, can you tell? In cooking, or chemistry (which is the same basic idea, but you do not want to eat what you produce) an emulsifier is an ingredient that helps other ingredients become a cohesive new entity. Like cookies from eggs, flour, sugar and other ingredients – like chocolate (the best one). Without the emulsifying ingredient you wind up with a bowlful of wasted stuff that refuses to combine properties and become something new.
I wrote a bit differently about this early on, The Right Ingredients. Also prompted by baking cookies. Inspiration can come from any direction at any time and be applied in unusual ways. But I digress.
This same principle can be applied to teams, groups, or pairings in the office. Sometimes a team doesn’t seem to coalesce because no one is acting like the emulsifying agent, each person is too determined to retain their own distinct properties. Yes, yes we all must make sure that we are known – personally branded in today’s parlance – but what if being known as stand-alone also means getting a rep for standing in the way of team success?
It is quite possible to be known as a highly capable individual and also as a collaborator, or team player (bzz-bzz goes the buzz word bee). These are not mutually exclusive traits. Your skills and experience combined with the skills and experience of others on the team could lead to awesomeness. But you can’t act like oil to their water.
Reach out, share, exchange ideas. Offer a little something of your skill or experience and let the mixing begin. I’m going to go have a cookie or two.
How about sharing a little something here?
© 2013 Practical Business | Reasonable Expectations
Practical Business 
I recently had a post that was inspired by my undergraduate degree in chemistry. I don’t remember much of the details, but I hang onto a few lessons that I think can be applied to life. Thanks for adding this one.
I don’t remember much from chemistry myself,except a nearly very unfortunate incident in 6th grade when we were using straws to siphon mild acid and one buy sucked it up instead of using his thumb. A stark lesson in interaction (and stupidity).