--- title: "From Wonder to Tenacity: Embracing Patrick Lencioni’s 6 Working Geniuses for Effective Work" description: Here's how to bring Patrick Lencioni's Working Genius into your team meetings for more effective conversations, collaboration, and results. image: https://blog.leadr.com/hubfs/Working%20Genius%20Gears.jpg --- [![Leadr_Logo_White](https://blog.leadr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Leadr_Logo_White.png?width=140&height=45&name=Leadr_Logo_White.png "Leadr_Logo_White")](https://www.leadr.com) [![Leadr Logo](https://blog.leadr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Leadr%20Logo.png?width=90&height=29&name=Leadr%20Logo.png "Leadr Logo")](https://www.leadr.com) - Resources - [LeadrPulse Podcast](https://insights.leadr.com/leadrpulse-podcast) - [Webinars & Events](http://www.leadr.com/webinars-events) - [Downloads](http://www.leadr.com/resources) - [Blog](https://blog.leadr.com) - [Order Management is Dead](http://www.leadr.com/book) - What We Offer - [Software](http://www.leadr.com/software) - [Manager Training](http://www.leadr.com/academy) - [Customer Stories](http://www.leadr.com/customer-stories) - [Release Notes](https://blog.leadr.com/release-notes) - Partnerships - [Leadr & Lencioni](http://www.leadr.com/table-group) - [Maxwell Leadership](http://www.leadr.com/maxwell) - [Become a Partner](http://www.leadr.com/affiliates) - [About Us](http://www.leadr.com/about-us) - [Our Story, Values & Culture](http://www.leadr.com/about-us) - [Leadr News Room](https://blog.leadr.com/news-room) - [Careers](http://www.leadr.com/careers) - [Contact Us](http://www.leadr.com/contact-us) More results [Request A Demo](http://www.leadr.com/request-demo) [Sign In](https://app.leadr.com/) [REQUEST A DEMO](http://www.leadr.com/request-demo) [![Request a Demo](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/9096015/de3254a8-05b4-4bfd-9906-97203d8a919c.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/9096015/de3254a8-05b4-4bfd-9906-97203d8a919c) - Resources - [LeadrPulse Podcast](https://insights.leadr.com/leadrpulse-podcast) - [Webinars & Events](http://www.leadr.com/webinars-events) - [Downloads](http://www.leadr.com/resources) - [Blog](https://blog.leadr.com) - [Order Management is Dead](http://www.leadr.com/book) - What We Offer - [Software](http://www.leadr.com/software) - [Manager Training](http://www.leadr.com/academy) - [Customer Stories](http://www.leadr.com/customer-stories) - [Release Notes](https://blog.leadr.com/release-notes) - Partnerships - [Leadr & Lencioni](http://www.leadr.com/table-group) - [Maxwell Leadership](http://www.leadr.com/maxwell) - [Become a Partner](http://www.leadr.com/affiliates) - [About Us](http://www.leadr.com/about-us) - [Our Story, Values & Culture](http://www.leadr.com/about-us) - [Leadr News Room](https://blog.leadr.com/news-room) - [Careers](http://www.leadr.com/careers) - [Contact Us](http://www.leadr.com/contact-us) [![Request a Demo](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/9096015/de3254a8-05b4-4bfd-9906-97203d8a919c.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/9096015/de3254a8-05b4-4bfd-9906-97203d8a919c)[![SIGN IN](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/9096015/558f6c6e-53c1-4343-a844-6925dbb7f750.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/9096015/558f6c6e-53c1-4343-a844-6925dbb7f750) [Team Meetings](https://blog.leadr.com/tag/team-meetings) [High-Performing Teams](https://blog.leadr.com/tag/high-performing-teams) [Culture](https://blog.leadr.com/tag/culture) [The Leadr Advantage](https://blog.leadr.com/tag/the-leadr-advantage) # From Wonder to Tenacity: Embracing Patrick Lencioni’s 6 Working Geniuses for Effective Work by [Leadr Team](https://blog.leadr.com/author/mark-zhukleadr-com) 5 min read Dec 11, 2023 4:10:48 PM Within Patrick Lencioni’s [6 Types of Working Genius](https://www.tablegroup.com/how-to-introduce-working-genius-to-your-team/), there are 6 Working Geniuses that correspond with the 6 steps involved in getting any type of work done. The 6 Geniuses are: Here's a helpful visual from CUInsight: ![6TypesDescription (1)](https://blog.leadr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/6TypesDescription%20(1).jpg?width=618&height=358&name=6TypesDescription%20(1).jpg) For any project to succeed, in other words, to land the plane, spending time in each step (and genius) is critical. But because each of us is wired with different geniuses and frustrations, spending time in certain levels of the process will be easier than others.  **Note: If you haven’t taken the Working Genius yet,** [**here’s a link where you can take it**](https://www.workinggenius.com/)**. ** **[![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/9096015/a019df94-5687-457c-a09f-a6f167430b03.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/9096015/a019df94-5687-457c-a09f-a6f167430b03)** For example, as an ET, it can be challenging to effectively contribute to a WI meeting. Your focus will naturally drift to the tangible outcomes versus thriving in the wonder stage. We just made [the power the Working Genius available inside of Leadr](https://blog.leadr.com/release-notes/2023-dec-5) for more effective team collaboration.  But when you find yourself in a meeting that’s outside of your Working Genius, here are tips for harnessing the genius that each type of meeting requires. Before we dive in, here are a few considerations: 1. It’s critical that your team agrees to honor all of the stages of work from the beginning of a project. All stages are equal in value, but not all require the same amount of time. Each progressive stage naturally takes more time than the previous.  2. Determining elevation is critical to meeting effectiveness. Every person should walk into every meeting knowing what elevation is required to harness to progress. If it's time to wonder, make decisions, or galvanize, make it clear from the get-go. Even when a genius is not your strength, as long as people are clear on the goal of the meeting, good communication is possible. Pro tip: label each of your meetings with the stage (WIDGET) in the meeting title to create alignment. # Key Questions for Each Working Genius Now it’s time to get practical. Here’s a cheat sheet to the topics and questions you should stick to in each stage of work. ## **Wonder** - What is the real problem we’re aiming to solve? - Why does this problem exist? - What’s currently working? - Why do we do things the way we do? - Why and why not questions. ### **What to avoid:** - How questions. ## **Invention** - What would make better?  - What’s a creative solution for this problem? - What if questions. - What would it look like if…. ### **What to avoid:** - “Can’t,” “should,” and “have to” statements. - Getting in the weeds or details. ## **Discernment** - Which of these plans should we try? - Is this the best this project/initiative can be?  - Is this the right decision for right now? - What are the pros and cons of each option? - What will X, Y, Z look like in 6 months? - What are we not seeing? - Is there both long and short term gain? - How will this choice impact our other goals or priorities? - Ask clarification questions. - Determine criteria for decisions. - This is our turning point to action. Have we considered all the details? ### **What to avoid:** - Going back to Wonder or Ideation. ## **Galvanization** - What will be this person/group's response to this?  - How do we get the team bought in? - Who needs to know about this so we can move this project/initiative forward? - Do you have questions about why we’re moving in this direction? - Where do you still need clarity? - What method of communication would help get the point across? - Why is the idea relevant for X group? - Connects purpose and activity. - Revisit the why - walk the people back through the previous stages - Not a one-time activity ### **What to avoid:** - At this point, you should avoid changing anything about the plan unless your team agrees to revisit all of the previous stages of work. Once Discernment has happened, it’s critical to stay focused on the next step. ## **Enablement** - How are people doing? - What would motivate this team member to push forward on their project? - How can I help? - Where are there gaps to fill? - Is this project or initiative clear to everyone involved? - Do I have helpful coaching tips to offer? ## **Tenacity** - Who, what, how much, by when? - What is the next step in this project? - What is the most important things to do right now? - What does winning look like? - What is our timeline? - Who needs to be involved? - What is our budget? - Do we have enough resources? [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/9096015/6a7d594b-b8ec-47eb-8b80-ea46c4e92a91.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/9096015/6a7d594b-b8ec-47eb-8b80-ea46c4e92a91) Embracing Geniuses that don’t come naturally to you can be a challenge, but following this general framework can help you and your team stay focused on the right stage of work during the right times. If your team is heavy in one genius, we’d encourage you to invite someone outside of your team to fill in the gaps if you’re stuck in a particular stage of work. # Working Genius in Your Daily Work Inside Leadr, you can keep your team's Working Genius front-and-center with our team map for better collaboration, delegation, and execution. Seeing which teammates naturally lean toward certain Geniuses is the best way to easily find patterns, and gaps, and improve effectiveness as you work together. As the official Organizational Health Platform in partnership with Patrick Lencioni, we’re constantly thinking about how to bring The Working Genius to life. Here’s what this looks like inside the tool. [Get a closer look here. ](https://www.leadr.com/tgx-product-overview)   We'd love to know: what questions would you add to the list? [![Request a Demo of Leadr](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/9096015/bcaf793a-1fc8-4cb8-85b4-4ff893aeb79f.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/9096015/bcaf793a-1fc8-4cb8-85b4-4ff893aeb79f) #### Share this [Share on Twitter](https://twitter.com/share?url=https://blog.leadr.com/embracing-patrick-lencionis-6-working-geniuses&text=From%20Wonder%20to%20Tenacity:%20Embracing%20Patrick%20Lencioni’s%206%20Working%20Geniuses%20for%20Effective%20Work) [Share on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://blog.leadr.com/embracing-patrick-lencionis-6-working-geniuses&t=From%20Wonder%20to%20Tenacity:%20Embracing%20Patrick%20Lencioni’s%206%20Working%20Geniuses%20for%20Effective%20Work) [Share on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.leadr.com/embracing-patrick-lencionis-6-working-geniuses&t=From%20Wonder%20to%20Tenacity:%20Embracing%20Patrick%20Lencioni’s%206%20Working%20Geniuses%20for%20Effective%20Work) Previous story [← Put Patrick Lencioni’s The Advantage Into Practice: Running Effective Team Meetings](https://blog.leadr.com/patrick-lencionis-the-advantage-into-practice-run-effective-team-meetings) Next story [Do you struggle with delegation? →](https://blog.leadr.com/do-you-struggle-with-delegation) ### You May Also Like These Related Stories [Navigating Politics in the Workplace: Apply Patrick Lencioni’s Insights With Leadr Advantage](https://blog.leadr.com/politics-at-work-pat-lencioni) ![Patrick Lancioni - Politics at work](https://blog.leadr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Patrick%20Lancioni%20-%20Politics%20at%20work.jpg?width=1500&height=1000&name=Patrick%20Lancioni%20-%20Politics%20at%20work.jpg) [Team Meetings](https://blog.leadr.com/tag/team-meetings) #### Navigating Politics in the Workplace: Apply Patrick Lencioni’s Insights With Leadr Advantage Nov 14, 2024 11:09:46 AM 4 min read [Put Patrick Lencioni’s The Advantage Into Practice: Running Effective Team Meetings](https://blog.leadr.com/patrick-lencionis-the-advantage-into-practice-run-effective-team-meetings) ![Better Team Meetings](https://blog.leadr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Better%20Team%20Meetings.png?width=1882&height=869&name=Better%20Team%20Meetings.png) [Team Meetings](https://blog.leadr.com/tag/team-meetings) #### Put Patrick Lencioni’s The Advantage Into Practice: Running Effective Team Meetings Oct 19, 2023 8:32:06 AM 6 min read [Putting Working Genius to Work: Making Your Team & Meetings More Productive](https://blog.leadr.com/put-working-genius-to-work) ![Working Genius Work for You](https://blog.leadr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Working%20Genius%20Work%20for%20You.png?width=1920&height=1080&name=Working%20Genius%20Work%20for%20You.png) [Team Meetings](https://blog.leadr.com/tag/team-meetings) #### Putting Working Genius to Work: Making Your Team & Meetings More Productive Oct 1, 2024 11:56:36 AM 3 min read ### Get Email Notifications ### No Comments Yet Let us know what you think #### About Leadr Leadr is a software and professional services company that transforms your managers into coaches to drive team effectiveness. 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