We have found Patrick Lencioni’s “Six Types of Working Genius” personality assessment to be an extremely useful tool.
6 Working Geniuses
Patrick Lencioni’s “Six Types of Working Genius” model identifies six key abilities that are essential for effective teamwork and leadership:
- Wonder,
- Invention,
- Discernment,
- Galvanizing,
- Enablement, and
- Tenacity.
One of Lencioni’s key messages is: When a leadership team lacks one of these geniuses, it can lead to specific challenges that hinder the team’s effectiveness and overall success.
Here are examples problems that occur when each of these geniuses is missing:
Wonder
Problem: Without the genius of Wonder, the team may fail to ask foundational questions or consider whether there are underlying issues that need to be addressed. This can result in the team overlooking opportunities for innovation or improvement, leading to stagnation or a failure to see the bigger picture.
Example: A leadership team might continue operating with outdated strategies because no one is questioning if they are still effective.
Invention
Problem: A team lacking Invention struggles to create new ideas, solutions, or strategies. Without this genius, the team may rely too heavily on existing methods and miss creative approaches to solve problems or seize new opportunities.
Example: When facing a challenge, the team may stick to conventional approaches and fail to innovate, leading to missed opportunities for growth or improvement.
Lack of Discernment
Problem: Without Discernment, the team may have difficulty making sound judgments about which ideas or strategies are most likely to succeed. This can lead to poor decision-making, pursuing initiatives that are either not viable or not aligned with the team’s goals.
Example The team might implement an idea that sounds good in theory but is impractical or ill-suited to the organization’s needs, resulting in wasted time and resources.
Lack of Galvanizing
Problem: The absence of Galvanizing means that the team struggles to inspire and rally others around a vision or plan. This can lead to a lack of momentum, with ideas or strategies failing to gain traction because no one is driving them forward.
Example: Even if the team develops a great plan, it may never be fully executed because no one is effectively motivating the team or organization to take action.
Lack of Enablement
Problem: When Enablement is missing, the team may struggle to provide the support needed to turn ideas into action. There can be a disconnect between planning and execution, with team members feeling unsupported or unclear about their roles in carrying out initiatives.
Example: The leadership team might outline a new strategy but fail to give employees the resources, guidance, or encouragement they need to implement it successfully.
Lack of Tenacity
Problem: Without Tenacity, the team may struggle to follow through on plans and initiatives, leading to a lack of completion and results. Projects may be started with enthusiasm but left unfinished, or goals may be set but not met.
Example: The team might initiate several projects but fail to see them through to completion, resulting in a lack of tangible outcomes and a sense of frustration.
Summing up
In summary, each working genius plays a crucial role in the leadership process, from idea generation to execution. When one is missing, the team can become unbalanced, leading to inefficiencies, poor decision-making, and a failure to achieve desired outcomes.