“ Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom” – Aristotle
In our ongoing exploration of the “City of Lights,” a metaphorical reflection of our corporate world, we’ve illuminated various roles defined by Patrick Lencioni’s model “The Six Types of Working Genius.” Today, we shift our focus to leadership, underlining a crucial message: there is no single best Genius for leaders. Instead, what makes a leader truly great is self-awareness, understanding their own mix of Geniuses and Frustrations, and knowing how to synergize with their team’s strengths. Let’s delve into why any two Geniuses, when combined with self-awareness, can forge exceptional leadership.
Discover Your GeniusLearn how the Working Genius model can elevate your leadership skills.
Every Leader Has a Unique Genius Combination
Lencioni’s model, based on extensive research, suggests that we all have two predominant Geniuses and two Frustrations. The beauty of this model is its universality and flexibility. A leader might excel in Enablement and Tenacity, or perhaps Wonder and Invention. The key lies not in the specific Geniuses but in how leaders understand and utilize their strengths while compensating for their Frustrations.
Self-Awareness: The Core of Effective Leadership
The first step for any leader is to deeply understand their own Geniuses and Frustrations. How do these play out in team dynamics, both positively and negatively? A self-aware leader recognizes how their natural inclinations can shape team culture and effectiveness. This introspection is crucial for personal growth and team development.
Team Assessments: Building a Complementary Team
After understanding their own Geniuses, leaders should encourage their team members to undertake their own Working Genius assessments, which can be purchased at www.workinggenius.com or by emailing us at info@pointerwise.com. This knowledge enables leaders to align tasks and roles with each member’s strengths, maximizing efficiency and satisfaction. It’s about constructing a team where each member’s Genius is not only acknowledged but actively leveraged.
Delegating Based on Genius, Not Stereotypes
A critical aspect of utilizing the Working Genius model effectively is for leaders to let go of stereotypes and embrace delegation. For instance, a leader whose Genius lies in Discernment and Invention, but finds Galvanizing challenging, should delegate the ‘”fire-up” aspects of team management to those who excel in Galvanizing. This approach ensures that every crucial role is fulfilled by someone who is not just capable but naturally inclined and energized by those tasks.
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Examples of Leveraging and Delegating
A leader with a Genius in Enablement but a Frustration in Wonder might rely on team members who are natural Wonderers to initiate creative brainstorming sessions.
If Tenacity is a Frustration, a leader can delegate the responsibility of driving projects to completion to those who thrive on seeing tasks through to the end, ensuring that initiatives don’t lose steam.
For a leader who excels in Discernment but struggles with Invention, it’s beneficial to partner with inventive team members during the ideation phase, while the leader can focus on evaluating and refining these ideas.
Creating a Balanced Leadership Approach
By understanding and respecting the diverse Geniuses within their team, leaders can create a more balanced and effective leadership approach. It’s about recognizing that leadership isn’t a one-size-fits-all role; it’s a dynamic interplay of various strengths and talents.
Looking Ahead: Understanding Working Genius Frustrations
In our next discussions in the ‘City of Lights’ series, we’ll dive into the Working Genius Frustrations. We’ll explore how understanding these frustrations can lead to better team dynamics and overall organizational health.
In conclusion, the hallmark of a great leader in our “City of Lights” is not determined by which two Geniuses they possess. Instead, it’s their self-awareness, their ability to understand and leverage their Geniuses in conjunction with their team’s strengths, and their skill in navigating around their Frustrations. Such leaders build teams where every member’s unique talents are not only recognized but are integral to the team’s success.
Join me next time as we continue to explore the intricacies of Working Geniuses and Frustrations, shedding light on how they shape our corporate world. Until then, let’s embrace our unique combinations of Geniuses and Frustrations, using them to illuminate the path to effective leadership and team synergy in our “City of Lights.”
“It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do: we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” – Steve Jobs
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