Does your work energise or deflate you?

Have you ever found yourself completely energized and in the flow while doing a certain task, while another task leaves you feeling completely drained and unproductive? This is a common experience for many people, and it’s something that can greatly impact our work satisfaction and overall performance.

Enter the Working Genius model by Patrick Lencioni, which offers a unique perspective on our individual strengths and weaknesses in the workplace. According to this model, there are six “working geniuses,” with two falling into our working “genius” category and two in our working “frustration” category.

By understanding our personal working geniuses, we can identify the types of work that bring us energy and allow us to perform at our best. Likewise, knowing our working frustrations can help us identify the types of work that drain us and reduce our productivity.

For example, my personal working geniuses are discernment and tenacity. My discernment allows me to quickly cut through the noise and get straight to the point, which has been instrumental in my work of sharing what I've learned with others. Meanwhile, my tenacity means I get energy from finishing tasks and achieving goals.

However, one of my frustrations is “galvanizing,” which is the ability to rally people around a project. This is not a natural strength of mine, and I find this type of work particularly draining.

By understanding our individual working geniuses and frustrations, we can better understand ourselves and our team members, and place people in the right roles where they can work mainly in their zone of genius. This can lead to happier team members, more motivated work, and ultimately better results.

While there are many personality type tests available, I have found the Working Genius model to be particularly useful in the workplace. If you haven’t yet checked it out, I highly recommend taking the assessment with your team and seeing how it can improve your performance and satisfaction at work.

Have you used any other personality type tests or models that have been particularly beneficial for you? Watch the video below to find out more