In my most recent blog we delved into Patrick Lencioni’s concept of “Working Genius.” 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 advocates that these qualities are crucial to all businesses.

In this blog, we take this concept a step farther and look at Lencioni’s Three Phases of Work and how the Working Genius assets are necessary and fit in to accomplish those phases of work optimally. To review, the six levels of Working Genius are defined as follows:

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

Lencioni observed that most people think of work in two phases – ideation and implementation. He has identified a third and “middle” phase of work – activation – that he advocates as essential to any project. He considers the three phases to be the fundamental building blocks of getting everything done in business, pointing out that there is more to any project than coming up with ideas then executing them. Integral to any project is also the middle stage during which ideas are delved into and feedback is provided, it’s decided who will implement those ideas and how.

Each phase of work connects with two working geniuses:

1. Ideation is the brainstorming, creative, innovative, possibility phase and therefore needs the working geniuses of wonder and invention.
2. Activation is the planning phase, during which the details of how, who and when are fleshed out and needs the working geniuses of discernment and galvanizing.
3. Implementation is the execution phase during which the ideas become reality through the processes and details identified and the working geniuses of enablement and tenacity are needed to pull everything together and keep it going to completion.

Here’s how your people contribute their working genius capabilities:

1. Ideation: A wonderer asks questions. An inventor invents new ideas.
2. Activation: A discerner evaluates ideas and provides feedback. A galvanizer inspires and organizes others to act.
3. Implementation: An enabler responds to others and helps them. A tenacious person executes.

The right skills and knowledge are obviously essential if job roles are filled and carried out well. Lencioni demonstrates that more is required – which cannot be bought or learned – for truly excellent individual performance, which translates into a more fulfilled workforce and greater success as a company. Workers will obviously be most engaged, effective, and happy in their roles when they have the opportunity to do something they do well, enjoy, and that taps into their natural gifts.

In addition to contributing to your company’s success today, applying the working genius concept to your company can be of huge benefit to your company value and exit plan – a stable workforce is one of the most important business value drivers. To help incorporate the Working Genius model into your strategy and operations, Lencioni developed an assessment that identifies and categorizes the six types of working geniuses.

Leeanne K. Super, CPA and Certified Working Genius Consultant, spoke about Working Genius and Phases of Work at a recent Exit Planning Peer Advisory Board meeting and provided assessments for each of our members. From those assessments she developed a Team Map which illustrated how our identified working geniuses could most effectively contribute to the team and the organization while doing work they truly enjoy. It was fascinating, insightful, and of great value.

For more information about assessments for your team members, contact Leeanne at LSuper@morainco.com.  Contact me for a complimentary consultation if you’d like to discuss how this tool can benefit your business now and for the future, or if you have general questions about exit planning

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.