The right skills and knowledge are obviously essential if job roles are fulfilled well. But according to Patrick Lencioni, author and creator of The Six Types of Working Genius, there is more required – that cannot be bought or learned – for truly excellent individual performance, which translates into success as a company. Lencioni has identified six gifts, or talents, which are innate to individuals, regardless of their level of training or the positions they hold in a company. He refers to these as “Working Genius” qualities that are crucial to all businesses. He maintains that, without them, a company will experience gaps in the processes of ideation, activation, and implementation and its performance and impact cannot be optimized. Workers will obviously be most engaged, effective, and happy in their roles when they have the opportunity to do something they do well and enjoy. To help achieve this objective, Lencioni developed an assessment that identifies and categorizes three levels of qualities, or capabilities, which are inherently “built-in” to individuals, defined as follows:

• Working Genius – qualities or capabilities that come naturally to an individual, energize them, and bring them joy, and that they likely do well.
• Working Frustration – qualities or capabilities that are not built-in, are not energizing or enjoyable, and that an individual may not do particularly well.
• Working Competency – falls between the other two and are capabilities that an individual may do well but derives no great joy or energy from them.

Ideally, individuals can be matched with work that taps into their natural gifts – or “Working Genius,” – of which Lencioni names six types:  

• The Genius of Wonder: Envisioning the possibility of greater potential and opportunity in a given situation.
• The Genius of Invention: Creating original and novel ideas and solutions.
• The Genius of Discernment: Intuitively and instinctively evaluating ideas and situations.
• The Genius of Galvanizing: Inspiring, rallying, and organizing others to act.
• The Genius of Enablement: Providing encouragement and assistance for an idea or project.
• The Genius of Tenacity: Pushing projects or tasks to completion to achieve results.

Lencioni emphasizes the importance of identifying individuals with each of these types of “genius” within your organization and integrating them into your processes, which without them, will be lacking. Be open to where you may find your company’s “Working Geniuses” – they may not necessarily be within your leadership team.

He asserts that the following stages of work and types of genius are integral to planning and carrying out any project or strategy optimally – without missing essential elements and considerations.

Ideation Stage

1. Wonder: Identifies the need for improvement or change.
2. Invention: Confirms the importance of that need and generates ideas or solutions

Activation Stage

3. Discernment: Assesses the merit and workability of the ideas or solutions.
4. Galvanizing: Generates enthusiasm and action around the ideas or solutions.

Implementation Stage

5. Enablement: Facilitates support and assistance in implementing ideas or solutions.
6. Tenacity: Commits to ensuring that the ideas or solutions are completed, and results are achieved.

Assessments developed by Lencioni identify which type, or types, of the six may be hiding within your workforce. An open and accepting company culture, where authenticity and transparency are practiced, and each individual’s ideas and contributions are valued – regardless of their position or title – can create an environment in which these “geniuses” can surface. We often refer to “having the right people in the right seats” – important for your business success today, as part of your exit strategy, and when you eventually transfer your business to the next owner. Identifying the “Working Genius” and its type, in each member of your staff, can be a great tool to help get the right people in the right seats. If you’d like to discuss optimizing your workforce or aspects of exit planning, contact me for a complimentary consultation. If you’d like to learn more about the Working Genius concept or assessments, visit https://www.workinggenius.com/.

Bob Zarlengo is a certified exit strategist and CPA. With more than four decades of experience in public accounting, his expertise in financial reporting, income and estate planning, and tax compliance makes him a valued and trusted advisor to his clients.