How to Build More Great Days
There’s no such thing as a perfect day, but leaders need more great days — days marked by clarity, connection and meaningful contribution. These days don’t happen by accident; they’re built with intention.
Working Genius: The Tool That Can Transform Your Team—For Good
What if there were a tool that not only revealed how your people are wired—but also reshaped how your team works together?
Most leaders are familiar with workplace assessments. Maybe you've taken Myers-Briggs, DISC, or CliftonStrengths. Each offers important insight. But too often, those insights live in a binder on a shelf, disconnected from day-to-day work. Or, they become prescriptive and cause your team to feel boxed in or even territorial. Or, they are so individualized that it’s difficult to make any meaningful connection to the team or organization’s goals.
What if there were a tool that not only revealed how your people are wired—but also reshaped how your team works together?
Why Teams Struggle with Collaboration and Energy
In most teams, frustration brews not because people are lazy or difficult, but because their talents are underused or misunderstood.
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Some team members are drained by the parts of work they’re constantly handed.
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Others feel invisible because their natural contributions go unrecognized.
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And as a leader, you’re left wondering why your team isn’t quite clicking.
What Is the Working Genius Assessment?
Every project follows a predictable flow—from idea to activation to implementation. The Working Genius model maps six types of contribution onto this process. Created by Patrick Lencioni and The Table Group, the Working Genius model identifies distinct “geniuses” that every team needs. These aren’t personality types—they’re the natural ways people contribute to getting work done.
Some people thrive in generating ideas. Others bring energy to rally a team. Still others push relentlessly toward the finish line. Working Genius helps you understand these differences, so your team can tap into its full potential.
Unlike other tools that focus on who people are, Working Genius focuses on how people work. It’s practical, immediate, and designed to improve team collaboration and results—starting right away.
How the Six Working Geniuses Fuel Every Project
Working Genius reveals that each person thrives in two types of work, can contribute to two with effort, and is drained by two. These “geniuses” reflect the natural ways people add value—where they feel most energized, effective, and in flow. Understanding these types within your team is a game-changer because:
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It allows teams to allocate responsibilities based on strengths, not defaults.
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It helps reduce frustration and burnout, as team members engage in tasks that align with their gifts.
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It enhances collaboration and efficiency by ensuring every stage of a project is covered by the right people.
The six Working Geniuses are organized into three stages of the workflow. The three stages and six working genius types are:
IDEATE - What’s the opportunity?
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Wonder – Seeing potential and asking big questions
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Invention – Generating original ideas and solutions
ACTIVATE - How do we get going?
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Discernment – Evaluating and refining ideas with intuition
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Galvanizing – Rallying others and getting things moving
IMPLEMENT - How do we finish strong?
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Enablement – Supporting efforts and helping others succeed
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Tenacity – Pushing work through to completion
When a team understands who brings what to the table, collaboration becomes more focused and effective.
How Working Genius Builds Stronger Teams
Working Genius unlocks a powerful shift:
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People see where they thrive—and why certain parts of work wear them down.
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People feel seen and valued for their unique contributions.
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And appreciation grows. Because suddenly, the person who “slows things down” becomes the one who makes the idea better. And the one who’s “always pushing forward” ensures it gets across the finish line.
We’ve watched teams experience a dramatic change in how they work together. Frustration gives way to clarity. Tension gives way to trust. People stop trying to be everything—and start bringing their best. And leaders? They finally feel like they’re leading a team where everyone knows their place and purpose.
Why Purpose-Driven Leaders Love Working Genius
If you work in education, nonprofits, ministry, or other values-based settings, clarity, collaboration, and energy are non-negotiable; that’s why this tool can be a game-changer. It aligns with the way you lead—with empathy, clarity, and a deep desire to help others thrive. Working Genius doesn’t just improve workflows—it improves relationships, trust, and shared purpose, and gives you a language and a map to work smarter together.
Bring Working Genius to Your Team Today
If you're ready to bring new energy and alignment to your team, let’s talk. We offer the Working Genius assessment, training, and facilitation to help you move from insight to action. One session can shift how your team works…for good.
Take the Guesswork Out of Coaching
Moving from guesswork to insight transforms the way you recruit, develop players, and build teams. By combining behavioral science, data, and intentional communication systems, we have learned that you don’t have to guess who will respond, lead, or thrive under pressure. When you truly understand what drives people, you coach with confidence — and confidence wins.
Why Directors and Principals Feel Like They’re on an Island
School leadership can feel lonely, relentless, and emotionally draining. The constant weight of decisions, crises, and expectations often leaves principals isolated and exhausted — and research shows that stress and isolation are driving many leaders out of the profession. But the “island effect” doesn’t have to define the role.