The 6 Types Of Working Genius

The newest book from New York Times bestselling author Patrick Lencioni is, The 6 Types of Working Genius: A Better Way To Understand Your Gifts, Your Frustrations, And Your Team. 

The book provides a fast way to help people identify the type of work that brings them joy and energy and avoid work that leads to frustration and burnout. 

“People who utilize their natural God-given talents are much more fulfilled and successful than those who don’t,” shares Lencioni. “Teams and organizations that help people tap into their God-given talents are much more successful and productive than those that don’t.” 

Lencioni then says that as obvious as all this may be, the reality remains that most people aren’t terribly fulfilled in their work, which makes sense because most people don’t really understand their work-related gifts. “As a result, most teams don’t come anywhere close to tapping into their members’ talents and achieving their true potential.” 

Therefore, in classic Lencioni fashion, he brings his 6 Types of Working Genius model to life in a page-turning fable that is as relatable as it is compelling. 

That model consists of the following, which are also the six essential activities for any team-based work:

1. Wonder
2. Discernment
3. Enablement
4. Invention
5. Galvanizing
6. Tenacity 

After reading the fable, readers are encouraged to take the forty-two-question survey that takes about ten minutes to complete. Immediately upon completing the assessment, readers receive a report providing results from the assessment and guidance about how to interpret and qualitatively confirm the accuracy. 

What sets this book—and the model behind it—apart from other tools and assessments is the speed at which it can be understood and applied, and the relevance it has to every kind of work in life, from running a company to launching a product to managing a family. 

Also, one of the many things I like most about this book is how it provides teams a remarkably simple and practical framework for tapping into one another’s natural gifts, which increases productivity and reduces unnecessary judgment. 

Patrick Lencioni (Photo by Jamie Rain)

Today, Lencioni shares these additional insights with us: 

Question: Why do you often write your books making the first parts using a fable that provides a fictional -- realistic -- story? 

Lencioni: In college, I took a screenwriting class. I found it hard to read business books that just had information and models, and I wanted to do something different. When I sat down to write my first business book, I wanted to bring the model to life in a story. I’ve had so many people who resonate with the story part of my books.   

When we discovered Working Genius, we didn’t sit down and intend to write a new personality assessment. I was just frustrated at work and wanted to fix it. The most recent fable tells the story of Bull Brooks, and his journey of discovering and addressing his own frustration.  

Question: How best should a business or organization leader use both the book and the Team Map? 

Lencioni: The fastest way to create immediate impact with your team is to have them take the 10-minute Working Genius Assessment. You’ll be able to create a Team Map based on your team’s Geniuses and Frustrations. 

You’ll immediately notice strengths, gaps, and opportunities. I think the book is a great next step for people to engage with the potential Working Genius for their team. 

Lencioni is founder and president of The Table Group, a firm dedicated to helping leaders improve their organizations’ health since 1997. His principles have been embraced by leaders around the world and adopted by organizations of virtually every kind including multinational corporations, entrepreneurial ventures, professional sports teams, the military, nonprofits, schools, and churches. 

Lencioni is also the author of The Five Dysfunctions Of A Team. 

Thank you to the book’s publisher for sending me an advance copy of the book.