BOOK REVIEW: THE SYNERGIST: HOW TO LEAD YOUR TEAM TO PREDICTABLE SUCCESS BY LES MCKEOWN
Genres: Management, Project Management, Leadership, Nonfiction, Human Development, Coaching.
Rating: 3/5
Recommend to: Entrepreneurs, Start-up founders, Team leaders, Project Managers, Managers, Business Coaches, Human Resources staff.
Number of pages: 272 pages
THOUGHTS ABOUT THE BOOK:
I have seen firsthand how teams full of experts in their field failed to accomplish the teams’ goals. The problem wasn’t in the knowledge they had or didn’t have, it was that they couldn’t come to an agreement on what are the priorities and how to get things done. Have you ever found yourself being part of such a team?
If you were or still are wondering how things could have gone better then you might find a couple of answers in this book. When doing the book review I was a bit conflicted on how I should rate it. The message of the book is very interesting, but at the same time, the book is too long (at certain points of the book, the author is stretching out his theory and it gets repetitive). But all in all the message is clear and I found a new point of view on teamwork that I will definitely use in my future endeavors.
When you are in a situation such that demands teamwork there is no place to think that you know everything, or that your point of view and your goals or tasks are most valid. A very important lesson that I have learned from the book is that even if you are a team player many times you forget that other members of your team have their own point of views about the tasks at hand. And also that they interpret the teams’ goal in their own manner based on their style of processing information and working style. When that happens some members of the team might think they did their job when actually the team is only halfway done. But when you have a Synergist in your team his job is to spot these types of behavior and get all the members in the team back on track. Another great lesson from the book is the fact that you should add or remove members in your team based on which stage of the endeavor the team is. Having all types of members (Visionary, Operator, Processor) at the same time without the Synergist will most probably result in the team not being able to effectively function, ending in missed opportunities and high costs for your organization.
If you are interested in books on team dynamics or team management then you should pick up this book.
MY NOTES FROM THE BOOK:
- We all have a definite leaning towards one primary style, and we also have a secondary tendency. Each style has its own perks. For example, Visionaries are most motivated by starting something new and solving a problem (an intellectual challenge). Operators are motivated by finishing a task and by fixing something that didn’t work. The processor is motivated by bringing order to chaos (systematizing) and supervising.
- One of the main problems in a team is that each type (V — visionary, O — operator, P — processor) have their own goals for the same task. The Visionaries default assumption is that his goal is to solve a challenge/task once he finds the answer his job is complete. The Operators default goal is action, they want to decide and do. They don’t do well in groups if there is no action. The Processors ultimate goal is to create a controlling cocoon of systems and processes (they want to analyze and align).
- The Visionaries perspective is from on high — “The big picture” and they primarily see patterns. The Operators focus is on execution and getting things done, so they see opportunities and obstacles. The processors perspective is on compliance and contingent liability.
- When starting a project you don’t need a perfect V-O-P-S balance. You build the team as the need dictates based on the stage in which the company is in.
- Use the Visionary and Synergist to brainstorm. Then use the Operator and the processor to translate that into action.
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Thank you for your time. I hope you have found this book review helpful. Share your thoughts about the book in the comment section.
