Pat Lencioni knows all about struggles in leadership. This prolific and bestselling author/speaker is most known for his book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, likely because he has dealt with all five dysfunctions. Pat writes from his experiences, and his new book is no exception. Published earlier this fall, The Six Types of Working Genius: A Better Way to Understand Your Gifts, Your Frustrations, and Your Team, this book also came from his own frustrations with understanding not only his team, but also himself. With this book, he says, he wants to help leaders “be the CEO you were built to be.”
Not long ago, Lencioni found himself mired in frustrations with his consultancy, The Table Group. Feeling stuck and listless, he did some self-reflection on why. He realized that while much of the advice around these common feelings is to “work less”, that didn’t fix the problem. It wasn’t until he worked harder on the things that brought him joy and energy that he started to see a shift in his perspective. He started to reflect on his own talents and those of his team, and thus the “Six Geniuses” were born (Wonder, Invention, Discernment, Galvanizing, Enablement, and Tenacity).
In an interview with Chief Executive Magazine, Lencioni dives into what each of these geniuses means, the potential of identifying them in yourself and your team, and how to take the first steps in doing so, even in uncertain economic times. Take a minute to read the interview and the synopsis of the Six Geniuses, identify which one applies to you, then see if you don’t rush out to get the book!
