THE SYNERGIST  

Les McKeown is the President & CEO of Predictable Success, a leading advisor on accelerated business growth. He has has started over 40 companies and was the founding partner of an incubation consulting company. Les is the author of the best-seller, Predictable Success: Getting Your Organization On the Growth Track - and Keeping It There. His latest book is The Synergist: How to Lead Your Team to Predictable Success. @lesmckeown @lesmckeown


How to Build a Legacy

This isn't about people just remembering who you were. Here's how great leaders build a legacy that goes beyond fond memories.  Read story

4 Signs You Will Fail as a Leader

Outwardly, you appear effective, dependable, on top of things. But look closer. Are you in danger of destructive behaviors?  Read story

3 Reasons Your Company Isn't Taking Off

For most organizations that try to scale but fail, the bottleneck is usually the person at the top: the founder/owner or CEO.  Read story

6 Traits of the Best Coaching Relationships

What does it take to make a mentor/mentee relationship work? Check out these six principles.  Read story

6 Symptoms of a Self-Made Saboteur

Some leaders will sub-consciously create an environment in which others will fail, solely so they can ride to the rescue and "fix it."  Read story

4 Ways to Be a Leader Who Matters

Leaders who build lasting legacies don't do so overnight. For long term impact, a leader must be reflective and thoughtful.  Read story

5 Biggest Leadership Lessons From 2012

What a year, right? Check out what events should shape your leadership goals for 2013.  Read story

Why 80% of Your Business Is Dragging You Down

You've heard of the Pareto Principle -- that 20% of your efforts yield 80% of your profits. Now, what are you doing with the other 80% of your time?  Read story

A Great Leader's Year-end Checklist

The year is almost over. Great leaders know how to tie up loose ends and make sure their employees are happy and ready to move forward.  Read story

5 Reasons Your Top Employee Isn't Happy

Not sure why your top performer is unhappy? Check out what the most brilliant (yet difficult) employees hate about company culture.  Read story

3 Things Every Great Leader Gets Wrong

Think you're a great leader? Make sure you aren't guilty of one of these three reality-distorting traits.  Read story

When You're Too Good for Your Own Start-up

Every start-up needs two types of people: the visionary and the operator. If you think you can be both types, you're in trouble.  Read story

3 Lousy Leadership Traits from the Campaign Trail

Politicians can be great leaders. But if you're running a business, here are three leadership traits from the campaign trail you don't want to employ.  Read story

3 Simple Tricks to Making Better Decisions

You make decisions all day, every day. Here are three simple rules for a better decision-making process.  Read story

Know When to Pull the Plug

Sometimes knowing when to say game over is just as important as getting that new strategy off the ground.  Read story

3 Common Mistakes Leaders Need to Fix

So your company isn't growing fast enough and you can't figure out why? You're likely in denial about one of these three things.  Read story

When Selling More Isn't Enough to Keep Growing

You've hit a wall. The sell, sell, sell approach that scaled your business has now become a big problem. Here's how to solve it.  Read story

3 Reasons Good Strategies Fail

So that great new strategy failed miserably. But there might not be anything wrong with the strategy. Take another look.  Read story

4 Ways to Supercharge a Business Trip

Think you can't grow as a leader while waiting in a security line? Think again. Check out easy ways to maximize your next business trip.  Read story

Leadership Evolution: How to Manage Managers

Hiring great managers isn't enough. As your business grows, if you can't manage your managers, you'll halt growth.  Read story

How to Hire Great People--Every Time

Hiring doesn't have to be hit or miss. Treat the process as the most important strategic planning your company needs, and you'll get better results.  Read story

Why You Need to Stop Saying Yes to Everything

When your company becomes bigger than a scrappy start-up, saying yes can really hurt growth. Here's why.  Read story

How One Employee Made My Mistake a Brilliant Idea

I was about to admit my new strategy was an utter failure when one employee showed me otherwise.  Read story

4 Reasons More Meetings Won't Produce Change

Are you fooling yourself into thinking that you're driving real change? Check out these four telltale signs.  Read story

Is Your Superstar Employee Really Helping Your Business?

As your business gets more complex, those early superstar employees can actually hurt progress. Here's why.  Read story

4 Biggest Weaknesses of Great Leaders

The same skills that made you a great entrepreneur and leader could also make you a terrible manager.  Read story

5 Ways to Beat Mediocrity

It's easy to rest on success. But so often that can turn a great company into an average company.  Read story

4 Steps to Go From Founder to CEO

There are big differences between leading a company as a founder and leading a company as a CEO. Here's how to bridge the gap.  Read story

5 Secrets to a Vibrant Company Culture

To succeed, you have to have a stellar company culture. Here's how you can start building a better working environment.  Read story

4 Reasons You Lost Your Mojo (& How to Get It Back)

Feeling down in the dumps and have no idea why? Here's how to identify what's bugging you and how to fix it.  Read story

4 Reasons You Can't Execute

Feel like nothing ever gets done? Here's how you can figure out what's slowing you down.  Read story

4 Things Great Leaders Do Better Than You

Good news: Becoming a great leader isn't rocket science. Here are four skills you can master that will set you on a path to greatness.  Read story

4 Signs You're a Terrible Communicator

Sure, you're a visionary leader. But do your day-to-day discussions actually move your company forward, or just cause confusion? Here's how to tell.  Read story

6 Ways to Fix Your Company's Frozen To Do List

Feel stuck? If you can't prioritize your company's to do list, none of your decisions will ever get executed.  Read story

5 Tricks to a Successful (& Fun) Company Retreat

Strategy retreat: Two words that make even the toughest leaders cringe. Here's how to make the process less painful...and maybe even a little fun.  Read story

5 Ways to Find Out What You're Doing Wrong

Are you giving away profit because of habits, attitudes, policies or procedures that irritate and alienate your customers or clients? Here's how to find out.  Read story

5 Lessons From Your Worst Nightmare

Want to improve your business? Think of your biggest, baddest competitor and take notes. Here's how.  Read story