It is hard to believe, but March is this week – the year seems to be flying by. For me, it has definitely been a busy year. I am settled on the East Coast and appreciating the “warmer” weather while back in CA they got snow where traditionally it shouldn’t snow.
This week, we are kicking off a brand new series titled, What’s My Genius? based on Patrick Lencioni’s new book The Six Types of Working Genius, and the Working Genius framework.
This framework has helped me reframe my perspective on how and what type of work I am most gifted at performing, as well as how my faith can better support my working geniuses.
Specifically, we will look at:
- Six working genius types (overview)
- Each working genius separately and how it can integrate with our faith
- How to live out our faith by understanding our working genius
- How you can apply it to your work, family, and ministry
Don’t be fooled by the title or the simple framework of the working genius, it’s like an onion…you just keep pulling it back to reveal more and more about the framework, how to leverage it, and about yourself.
What is the Working Genius?
The working genius is a framework around the acronym WIDGET. It was conceived from a simple question,
“Why are you like this?1
Here is a quick recap of the six types of working genius:
- Wonder – big picture thinking
- Invention – design and creation
- Disernment – clarifying an idea or creation
- Galvanizing – championing and rallying people around an idea
- Enablement – supporting people and an idea for execution
- Tenacity- taking an idea or project to completion
Do you have an idea of what your genius might be?
Before we go further, I would encourage you to pause this podcast and go take the Working Genius Assessment found at rockingchairdevotions.com/wga. It will be the best $25 you ever spend, and provide insight that confirms things about you or provides insight into who you are.
For the past year or so, Patrick’s team has been using, enhancing, and helping others understand themselves better so they can do their great work.
The concept is simple, each of us has two geniuses, two frustrations and two competencies. For me, my geniuses are wonder and enablement, my frustrations are galvanizing and tenacity, and my competencies are invention and discernment.
When we spend too much of our time in the working frustrations or competencies, we burn out and you might be finding yourself trapped in one of these areas.
You might be thinking I have this all figured out…nope, I am on the journey with you.
Lencioni shares two insights right at the beginning of the book,
“First, people who utilize their natural, God-given talents are much more fulfilled and successful than those who don’t.”2
“Second, teams and organizations that help people tap into their God-given talents are much more successful and productive than those that don’t.”3
Stop and ask yourself, Do you use your natural, God-given talents each day at work?
For me, lately, I have been spending way too much time in my working frustration, and it’s definitely made me frustrated.
I love dreaming of ideas, asking questions, guiding people to help them achieve their goals, but I also can discern or refine an idea when it is placed in front of me.
My New Role
Since moving to the East Coast, my role is beginning to change. I will be spending more time in my working genius of wonder and enablement as I lead teams to think further down the road.
I will still have to work in my frustrations of galvanizing and tenacity to get projects and tasks done; however, the work will be how to get things done more efficiently while helping to press forward into the future.
Just this past week, I had several discussions that allowed me to tap into my working genius of wonder and theorize how to get things done, as well as potential topics for either a master’s thesis, doctoral dissertation or a project.
The Intersection of Faith & The Working Genius
God created us to do good work. We saw from our series in Nehemiah, Nehemiah said,
“I cannot come down right now, I am doing a great work.”4
He was referencing the rebuilding of the walls and gates of Jerusalem. What about you? What great work are you doing right now?
How could the working genius help you achieve your great work?
God has given us each talents, gifts, and spiritual gifts – some of my spiritual gifts include:
- Giving
- Leadership
- Encouragement
When I look at my spiritual gifts alongside my working geniuses, I see the following connections:
- Leadership & Wonder – leads to vision casting
- Encouragement & Enablement – leads to supporting team members, and helping them succeed
- Giving & Invention/Discernment – leads to finding new ways to understand the next generation of ministry donors
Philippians 1:6 says,
“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”
Over the next several weeks, we are going to breakdown the working genius framework and see the possibilities of its integration with our faith for changing communities for Christ.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for using Patrick and his team to create the Working Genius framework so we can know ourselves and our teams better. You are the author of great insights, and you use us to help take it the world. I ask you would use this framework to shape the next generation of leaders as well create in each one of us your masterpiece. Please use this series to bring people to You and to help them achieve their great work. Amen!
Spread the Word
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Resources
- The Six Types of Working Genius – Patrick Lencioni (book)
- Working Genius
- Working Genius Assessment
- The Working Genius Podcast
- Patrick Lencioni Returns: Leveraging Your Working Genius
Footnotes
- Kindle Location 112 – Lencioni, P. (2022). The Six Types of Working Genius (1st ed.). Matt Holt. https://amzn.to/3Y1Dkk4 ↩︎
- Kindle Location 98 – Lencioni, P. (2022). The Six Types of Working Genius (1st ed.). Matt Holt. https://amzn.to/3Y1Dkk4 ↩︎
- Kindle Location 99 – Lencioni, P. (2022). The Six Types of Working Genius (1st ed.). Matt Holt. https://amzn.to/3Y1Dkk4 ↩︎
- Nehemiah 6:3 ↩︎
Say Thanks
Listen On…
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