Discover Your Working Genius
Find out what energizes you at work—and what drains you—so you can maximize both joy and impact in everything you do.
Most of us spend our days doing work that exhausts us, wondering why we're burned out. The Working Genius model reveals a simple truth: there are six types of work, and you're naturally wired to excel at only two of them. Once you know which two, everything changes.
Six Types of Work.
Do you know what brings you joy?
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The natural gift of pondering the possibility of greater potential and opportunity. People with this genius are constantly curious, asking "Why?" and "What if?" They spot problems others miss and wonder if there's a better way.
Common phrases: "Are we asking the right question?" "Maybe we should think about this more." "I'm just not sure this is the way it should be."
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The natural gift of creating original ideas and solutions. People with this genius love generating new approaches to problems and are energized by coming up with something out of nothing. They thrive when given a challenge and creative freedom.
Common phrases: "Hey, I've got an idea." "What about this?" "Please let me try to come up with a solution for that."
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The natural gift of intuitively evaluating ideas and situations. People with this genius have strong instincts about what will work and what won't. They provide invaluable guidance and can sense the right path forward, often before others see it.
Common phrases: "Now, that's a great idea." "This isn't going to work." "I think you're on to something."
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The natural gift of rallying and inspiring others to take action. People with this genius love creating momentum, getting everyone on board, and generating excitement around an idea. They turn decisions into movement.
Common phrases: "Let's get going!" "Come on everyone, this is a huge opportunity." "Are we all on board with this?"
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The natural gift of providing support and assistance to bring ideas to life. People with this genius are energized by helping others succeed. They're quick to offer their time, resources, and encouragement to make projects work.
Common phrases: "Let me know how I can help." "I'm in—sign me up." "What do you need to make this successful?"
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The natural gift of pushing projects across the finish line. People with this genius ensure standards are met, deadlines are hit, and work gets completed with excellence. They can't rest until they see the tangible results of their efforts.
Common phrases: "This is going to get done." "We need to raise our standards here." "I'm concerned we're not going to hit our deadline."
Created by Patrick Lencioni and The Table Group, the Working Genius model identifies six distinct types of work required in any project—from launching a product to planning a vacation.
We get more joy on some work types, while others may drain us (even we can do those too)
Working Geniuses—the work that energizes you and brings you joy.
Working Competencies—you can do them, but they don't light you up.
Working Frustrations—the tasks that genuinely drain your energy, no matter how hard you try.
This Isn't Another Personality Test
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When you're stuck doing work that drains you, every day feels like a grind. Once you identify your frustrations, you can minimize time spent there and focus on what energizes you—whether you're a team leader restructuring roles or an individual seeking more fulfilling work.
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Every team needs all six types of work. When you understand each person's genius, you can assign responsibilities that leverage natural strengths and prevent the gaps that stall projects. Small teams punch above their weight. Large teams stop wasting energy.
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For years, you might have felt inadequate in certain areas. Working Genius gives you permission to stop feeling bad about what doesn't energize you—because those tasks are someone else's genius.
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This isn't just insight for insight's sake. Teams walk away with restructured responsibilities, improved meeting formats, and a common language for discussing work preferences without judgment. You'll know exactly where your team has strengths, where you have gaps, and how to fill them.
The Working Genius model doesn't categorize who you are—it reveals what kind of work brings you joy. That's a crucial distinction. This is about the work itself, not your personality type.
From Assessment to Action in Four Steps
1
Assessment
Your team completes the 10-minute Working Genius assessment online.
2
Team Mapping
We visualize your team's collective genius profile—strengths, gaps, and friction points.
3
Facilitated Workshop
In an interactive session (virtual or in-person), we explore what these results mean for your daily work.
Works beyond the office, too. This model applies to nonprofits, volunteer organizations, and even families—anywhere people collaborate toward shared goals.
4
Practical Integration
You leave with concrete strategies for restructuring roles, assigning tasks, and building processes that honor everyone's genius.
