As I wrote about yesterday (dot 3725), everyone has genius in a certain area. Author Patrick Lencioni has developed a new model of Working Genius that takes into account how people approach getting things done — and how applying their “genius” to the right stage of work can bring them the most joy.
He outlines three stages of work: Ideation, Activation, and Implementation — and within each stage are two profiles of genius, identified by the acronym WIDGET.
In Ideation, some are naturally talented at Wonder — conceptually speculating about what is going on in the environment, while others excel at Invention — making something new in that environment.
In Activation, some might have the genius of Discernment with the ability to assess the merits and gaps of an idea while others are best at Galvanizing, the ability to prepare people to support the idea.
In Implementation, those with the genius of Enablement are able to see where they fit in and respond to people’s needs, and those with strengths in Tenacity derive joy by getting a task finished.
Naturally, there is far more to the nuances of this model than can be explained in a dot, but the assessment was an enlightening way for me to consider how to enhance productivity based on work styles rather than personality. It also explained some of the friction I see in teams as people with different “geniuses” don’t understand the way others see the world and their work.
There is an official assessment to determine your profile ($25), but most people can identify their genius just by the description. Think about which aspect of the work brings you the most joy — and read tomorrow’s dot for more on this model.
The 6 Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni, 2022
