“Breaking Down Barriers: Unlocking Your Potential with the ‘6 Types of Working Genius'”

There’s a moment in every workday when the energy shifts. The project that once felt like a spark of possibility now seems like a maze, each turn revealing another wall. You glance at your to-do list, and the tasks blur together—some you breeze through, others feel like a slog. For one client, this moment arrived during a team meeting. She watched her colleagues volley new ideas, their faces alive with excitement. When it was her turn, she hesitated—not because she lacked ideas, but because the process felt foreign. Later, she wondered: Why do some parts of my work feel effortless, while others drain me? If you’ve ever questioned whether your struggles are a sign of weakness or simply a mismatch between your work and your wiring, you’re not alone. The 6 types of working genius can illuminate this hidden dynamic, helping you break down barriers and unlock your true genius.

When the Workday Feels Like a Maze

Every day, individuals across industries find themselves wrestling with the same silent negotiation: a push and pull between what energizes them and what exhausts them. The 6 types of working genius, developed by Patrick Lencioni and the Table Group, offer a new lens for understanding why some work feels like second nature and other tasks feel like a grind. The working genius model isn’t just another personality test—it’s a roadmap for greater potential, increased productivity, and lasting fulfillment. If you’ve ever felt out of sync with your work, or wondered why certain tasks leave you depleted, the answer may not be about working harder. It’s about understanding the genius you already possess—and the barriers that keep it hidden.

The Hidden Cost of Misalignment

It’s easy to blame frustration at work on a lack of grit or discipline. But what if the real issue is alignment? When we spend our days outside our natural strengths, the toll is more than fatigue. It’s a slow erosion of confidence, creativity, and connection. Over time, the gap between what we’re good at and what we’re actually doing widens, and with it, our sense of fulfillment slips away. Research shows that disengagement at work isn’t just about motivation—it’s often a sign that people are being asked to operate in ways that don’t match their innate talents. According to Gallup, only one in three employees feels engaged at work, and the cost of this misalignment is staggering: lost productivity, increased turnover, and a culture where innovation withers before it can take root.

But the impact goes deeper than numbers. When you’re forced to wear a mask—pretending every task is equally energizing—you start to question your own value. You wonder if you’re the problem, when in reality, the problem is a system that doesn’t recognize or leverage your unique genius. The result? Teams that limp along, leaders who burn out, and organizations that never quite reach their potential. Understanding your working genius isn’t just a tool for personal growth—it’s a lifeline for reclaiming your energy, your confidence, and your sense of purpose. When you see the true cost of misalignment, you realize: this isn’t just about productivity. It’s about unlocking the parts of you that have been waiting—sometimes for years—to be seen, valued, and set free.

The Six Windows: Seeing Yourself—and Your Team—Anew

Imagine every project as a house being built. Some people are visionaries, standing on the empty lot, seeing what could be. Others are architects, drawing up blueprints, turning dreams into plans. Some thrive on rallying the crew, gathering resources, or laying the first bricks. Still others find their spark in the finishing touches, ensuring every detail is just right before the doors open. This is the heart of the 6 types of working genius model, developed by Patrick Lencioni and the Table Group. The six types are: Wonder, Discernment, Galvanizing, Enablement, Tenacity, and Invention. Each is essential. Each is a form of genius.

But here’s the shift: Most of us have been taught to value certain types of work over others. We celebrate the big idea, the bold leader, the relentless finisher. Yet, every stage of work—every genius—is a critical link in the chain. When you understand your own genius, you stop apologizing for the parts that drain you. You start to see your value not as a generalist, but as a specialist in your own right. For one executive client, this realization was seismic. She’d spent years forcing herself to be the “closer”—the one who always finished the job, no matter the cost. But her true genius was in Wonder and Invention: asking the right questions, dreaming up new ideas. Once she named this, she stopped seeing her struggle with follow-through as a flaw. Instead, she built a team that complemented her, and together, they moved faster and with more joy than ever before.

The 6 types of working genius are not just about individual fulfillment—they are the foundation of team development, organizational health, and increased productivity. When the Table Group team first introduced this model, it was a breakthrough for leaders and individuals alike, offering a new way to see talent and success. The working genius framework is a catalyst for greater potential, helping teams and organizations unlock new ideas and build a culture of true genius.

From Blind Spots to Brilliance: Reframing Weakness

The most insidious barrier to unlocking your potential isn’t lack of skill—it’s the belief that your struggles are a sign of inadequacy. The working genius model reframes this entirely. What if the tasks that drain you aren’t your “weaknesses,” but simply not your genius? What if your energy dips not because you’re failing, but because you’re being asked to play a role that was never meant for you? This isn’t about abdication or avoidance. It’s about clarity. When you know your genius, you can communicate it. You can ask for support where you need it, and offer your strengths where they matter most. Teams that operate with this awareness don’t just tolerate differences—they leverage them. Meetings become more dynamic, projects move with less friction, and people feel seen for who they truly are.

Consider the story of a project manager who always dreaded kickoff meetings. She thought she was “bad at brainstorming”—until she learned her genius was Tenacity. She thrived on bringing projects across the finish line, not dreaming them up. Once her team understood this, they stopped expecting her to be the idea generator. Instead, they relied on her to execute with precision, and she found new pride in her role. The 6 types of working genius also help teams identify working competencies and working frustrations. A certified working genius facilitator can help teams map out these dynamics, ensuring that every individual is set up for success. When you know your working genius, you can transform working frustrations into opportunities for collaboration and growth.

The Permission to Be Whole

Perhaps the most profound shift is this: Understanding your working genius gives you permission to be whole. You no longer have to contort yourself to fit a mold that was never made for you. You can honor your natural rhythms, trust your instincts, and build a career—or a team—that amplifies what you do best. This is not just a personal revelation. It’s a cultural one. When organizations embrace the full spectrum of genius, they create space for every kind of contribution. They stop losing talent to burnout and disengagement. They start building teams where everyone has a seat at the table—and every seat matters.

The journey begins with a single, radical act: seeing your genius not as an exception, but as an essential part of the whole. When you do, the barriers that once felt immovable begin to crumble. And what’s left is possibility—yours, and everyone’s. The Table Group team, led by Pat Lencioni and Andrew Laffoon, has seen firsthand how the 6 types of working genius can transform organizational health and morale. Whether you’re at Orangetheory Fitness or a tech startup, the working genius framework is a catalyst for greater potential and fulfillment. Vitaspark has witnessed the impact of this shift, helping teams and individuals discover their innate talents and unlock new levels of success.

Turning Insight Into Action: Your Genius in the Real World

It’s one thing to recognize your working genius on paper; it’s another to let that knowledge reshape the way you move through your day. The real transformation happens not in the abstract, but in the choices you make—how you approach your work, how you communicate with your team, and how you advocate for your own needs. Pause for a moment and ask yourself: Where in your current role do you feel most alive? When do you lose track of time, or find yourself energized long after the meeting ends? These are the fingerprints of your genius at work. Conversely, notice the moments that leave you depleted or frustrated. Are you forcing yourself to be the motivator when your true gift is discernment? Are you slogging through details when your heart longs to invent?

Try this: For the next week, keep a simple journal. At the end of each day, jot down two things—one task that gave you energy, and one that drained it. Don’t judge or analyze, just observe. Patterns will emerge. Maybe you’ll see that you light up in strategy sessions but wilt in execution. Or perhaps you thrive in the final push, bringing projects to completion, but struggle to get started. These clues are gold. Now, imagine what would change if you shared these insights with your team. What if you could say, “This is where I do my best work—and here’s where I need support”? What if you could design your week to spend more time in your zone of genius, and less in your zone of frustration? The shift doesn’t have to be dramatic. Sometimes, it’s as simple as swapping roles in a meeting, or asking for a partner on a project phase that drains you.

If you’re a leader, consider how you might invite this conversation with your team. What would it look like to map out everyone’s genius, and realign responsibilities accordingly? The goal isn’t to eliminate challenge, but to ensure that everyone has the chance to contribute from their strengths—and to be supported where they need it most. The bridge from insight to action is built one honest conversation at a time. Start with yourself. Then, invite others to join you. This is how barriers fall—not with grand gestures, but with the quiet courage to honor what makes you, and those around you, truly brilliant. A working genius certified facilitator or certified working genius facilitator can guide teams through this process, helping individuals discover their innate talents and working competencies. The working genius assessment, developed by Patrick Lencioni and the Table Group, is a powerful tool for personal discovery and leadership development.

The Genius Shift: Integrating What You’ve Learned

If you’ve made it this far, you’ve already begun the most important work: seeing yourself—and your team—through a new lens. The 6 types of working genius isn’t just a framework; it’s a permission slip to stop apologizing for what drains you and start celebrating what lights you up. It’s a call to move from silent struggle to intentional alignment. Let’s distill the heart of this journey:

• Your struggles aren’t a sign of inadequacy—they’re often signals that you’re working outside your zone of genius.
• Every type of genius is essential. There is no hierarchy, only a chain that’s strongest when every link is honored.
• Real transformation happens when you move from self-awareness to shared understanding—inviting your team, your leaders, and your organization to see and leverage the full spectrum of talent.

If you’re ready to put this insight into practice, start here:

• Track your energy: For the next week, note which tasks give you energy and which deplete you. Patterns will reveal your genius—and your frustrations.
• Share your discoveries: Bring your insights to your next team meeting. Name your genius and your needs. Invite others to do the same.
• Redesign your workflow: Look for small shifts—swapping roles, partnering on projects, or rebalancing responsibilities—to spend more time in your zone of genius.
• Champion diversity of genius: Celebrate the strengths of others, especially those whose genius is different from your own. Make it a habit to ask, “Whose genius does this task need?”
• Reframe your narrative: When you hit a wall, pause. Instead of self-criticism, ask: “Is this a weakness, or just not my genius?” Then, seek support or collaboration.

The real breakthrough isn’t just knowing your genius—it’s living it, day by day, conversation by conversation. When you do, you don’t just unlock your own potential. You become the catalyst for a culture where everyone’s brilliance has room to shine. The 6 types of working genius, as outlined by Patrick Lencioni and the Table Group, are more than a personality test—they are a roadmap for greater potential, increased productivity, and lasting fulfillment. Whether you’re at Orangetheory Fitness, leading a team of disruptive geniuses, or seeking new ideas for leadership development, the working genius framework is your invitation to true genius, teamwork, and success. Vitaspark has seen the impact of this shift, helping teams and individuals discover their innate talents and unlock new levels of organizational health and morale.

Conclusion: The Invitation to Step Into Your Genius

Every leader, every team, every organization has the capacity for greater potential. The 6 types of working genius offer a way to see yourself and your colleagues with new eyes—to honor the full spectrum of talent, to transform working frustrations into opportunities, and to build a culture where every kind of genius is valued. The journey to true genius, fulfillment, and success begins with a single step: the willingness to see, name, and honor your own genius. You have the power to change the way you work, the way you lead, and the way you connect. Confidence, clarity, connection, leadership, and balance are within reach—when you unlock your working genius.

If you’re ready to explore your team’s alignment and discover the power of the 6 types of working genius, connect with us. Schedule a time to discuss your team with our CEO. Your next chapter of genius, teamwork, and fulfillment is waiting.