Foreword is seeing increased interest and positive results through The Six Types of Working Genius programs we offer. The Working Genius is Patrick Lencioni’s newest teamwork model, which helps people understand how they can contribute to work most effectively. This tool can help individuals, leaders, and teams better leverage one another’s strengths and understand how to be both productive and fulfilled at work.

In this time of quiet quitting, loud quitting, burn out, rust out, etc. it seems like we could all use a little more joy and fulfillment at work!

For those not familiar with the model, the basic premise is that there are six steps in any type of work and each of us has two areas of genius, two areas of competency, and two areas of frustration. Here are a few ways Foreword’s clients are putting The Working Genius into practice.

Client examples

Have you had roles and experiences where you questioned whether you were the right fit for the job? Did this question ever lead to feelings of guilt or inadequacy?

Several clients have had “aha’s” when they realize that the feelings of guilt and inadequacy were usually present when they were working in an area of frustration, not an area of genius or competency.

This realization does not provide an excuse or a free pass to work only in areas of genius. But armed with this understanding, each of us can approach tasks and projects in our areas of frustration with intentionality and a realistic expectation of the energy drain they are likely to cause.

Can you remember a time where you judged others for their actions, possibly even attributing those actions to a character flaw?

We recently worked with a team at their offsite and a relatively young attendee learned that one of her geniuses is discernment (i.e. the natural ability to discern good ideas from not so good ideas). She shared that throughout her life she has been labeled as judgmental and critical because she is quick to offer criticism for ideas that do not seem viable.This feedback is not always welcome or appreciated by others. With insights from the Working Genius, she saw how to share her perspective in way that will be received by her team as a positive contribution. In her words it was a liberating moment when she understood that her discernment is indeed a genius.

It’s safe to say we’ve all been to too many meetings that seem to go round and round without a clear purpose and actionable outcomes.

One of our clients is using The Six Types of Working Genius to make team meetings more productive. After learning the model, they have a common language and understanding of the stages and steps involved in any type of work. With this new awareness they can quickly agree where things stand on a project or task, which type of discussion is warranted, and what needs to happen next. Each person knows when and how they can most effectively contribute given the constraints of the topic at hand. They make the most of their time together with minimal frustration and maximum productivity.

Foreword Acceleration

The Six Types of Working Genius is simple to learn, and a trained facilitator is not a requirement. However by leveraging our years of real-world leadership experience in addition to our knowledge of the tool, Foreword can accelerate a team’s understanding of the ways to maximize results.

If these examples piqued your interest, please contact us at info@foreword.consulting. The Six Types of Working Genius is a great way to increase team productivity, and to bring joy and fulfillment at work. Who wouldn’t want those things?