There’s a role every single leader should play in 2012 if they genuinely want to lead highly productive, effective and successful teams during the course of the year – the Synergist.
According to Les McKeown, author of the newly-published book The Synergist, the role of the Synergist is the single component that makes the difference between an ineffective group and a highly productive one. Furthermore, McKeown argues that the reason all the books, workshops, conferences, assessments, quizzes and coaching designed to help teams work more effectively together usually fail miserably over the long-term is because they address the symptoms of group dysfunction rather than the root cause.
The role of the synergist is designed to get straight to the heart of the dysfunction’s cause.
The Visionary, Operator and Processor
In The Synergist, readers are first introduced to the three natural styles that occur in every group or team and are fully versed in why the three are destined for gridlock unless a knight in shining armor (a Synergist) appears. I have to tell you, reading the chapters about these three natural roles and how they present themselves as leaders, and in life, was one of the most eye-opening learning experiences I’ve had in a long time!
I found myself laughing at times when I felt Les was describing me to a tee, and shaking my head knowingly when it became clear why important people in my life act the way they do. Beyond being a brilliant and must-read leadership book, the wisdom within this book makes it invaluable for better understanding family dynamics and even romantic relationships.
The Unstable Triangle
As McKeown brilliantly demonstrates in the book:
“The Visionary-Operator-Processor triangle is an innately unstable one. This is because Visionaries, Operators and Processors each achieve a sense of fulfillment or satisfaction in very different, often competing ways.
A visionary can feel fulfilled by just the very act of creation – a fresh idea, a new insight, or an innovative concept can be the trigger for them to move on to something new. The Processor, meanwhile, needs to document and categorize the new idea or fresh insight – they need to collect data on it, analyze it, test it, and they think the Visionary is flaky for jumping from idea to idea without doing this due diligence.
Finally, the Operators, frustrated at being coopted onto this team in the first place when all they want to do is go outside and get stuff done, quickly lose patience with both the Visionary and the Processor – the Visionary for not sticking to one game plan that the Operator can see through to completion, and the Processor for slowing everything down with their interminable systems and procedures.”
Sound familiar?!
McKeown further explains that all of us have a bias toward acting as a Visionary, Operator or Processor, and we typically have a secondary tendency that rounds us out a bit. He provides readers a quiz to determine exactly which styles they fit into.
The Synergist, a “Leader of Leaders”
“Synergists essentially do two things,” says Les. “They put the previously gridlocked V-O-P team back on track by removing conflict and tension, and they create an entirely new environment that allows the team to perform at the highest level.”
A significant portion of the book is spent revealing what that high-performance environment is and how the Synergistic team operates within it. What’s encouraging for all leaders is that, although some leaders are natural Synergists, the ability to play the role of Synergist can be learned. Leaders who wish to be better, to essentially become a leader of leaders, should learn how to be a Synergist.
If you’re willing to take on the exciting challenge of learning how to bring this leadership role to life, there is gold to be had in terms of being a better, more successful leader in 2012!
Want to learn more? Of course you do! Join me, Les McKeown and my inimitable LeadershipChat Co-Host Steve Woodruff tomorrow evening, January 3rd, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time as we kick off a new year of Leadership Chat with Les as our Guest Host!
The Introvert's Guide to Success in Business and Leadership
Are you an introvert looking to use your introversion to your advantage in business & leadership or an extrovert interested in leading introverts more effectively? I wrote this eBook for you…
“The Introvert’s Guide to Success in Business and Leadership” eBook is NOW Available! Now an Amazon Best Seller & Hot New Release and Featured on Huffington Post!
BUY Now on Amazon for Kindle or Buy it at B&N for Nook!
Click here to DOWNLOAD in PDF format. Thank you!
Being an introvert is truly an advantage in business and leadership if you know how to leverage it, and if you remain true to yourself.
RELATED POSTS:
One Response Comment