Business Book Review – The Synergist

I had the distinct pleasure this past year of attending the Nan Institute through The Woodard Consulting Group. Being a small practitioner and well past the age of attending college, I was intrigue by the opportunity to take a series of classes that were considered “A Layman’s MBA”. This was only the initial set of classes but I truly felt inspired and informed by the topics and it elevated my view of my own practice. We read some home run books and I thought I would put out a blog to inspire you to put them on your Summer (or Winter) reading list. I will be putting out a synopsis of the business book and give you a rough outline of chapters I read (or divisions if that is how the book is structured). I would love to hear about your favorites so be sure to jot them down in the comments.

The Synergist – How to Lead Your Team to Predictable Success, by Les McKeown

Although this book suggests that it is a business book and aids cooperation of a team, I find that the information applies to any group of people with a common mission. The book brings an understanding of how people can fall into three major categories: The Visionary, The Operator and The Processor. Each group has an innate method of navigating their world, each with a valuable skill set and contribution. Learning how to assist these various groups as they work together can often resemble mixing oil and water.  However, there is another role: The Synergist. This is a fourth category that can be a learned method and one that is necessary in keeping the lines of communication and the tasks at hand moving harmoniously. Next up, Part 1: The Unstable Triangle