From Assumptions to Alignment: A Leadership Journey with Working Genius

Leadership is often shaped by the models we carry with us early in our careers. For a long time, I believed that all great leaders shared a particular set of skills—a defined list of attributes that marked them as successful. I understood that people had different temperaments and dispositions, but I assumed that truly exceptional leaders excelled in certain, universally valued ways.

As I reflected on my own leadership journey, I was aware of areas where I felt confident and effective. I also recognized other areas where I felt less capable, and I quietly assumed that my strengths were just the basics—nothing special—while the areas I struggled with were more important or harder to attain. So, when I encountered other leaders who had similar strengths to mine, I expected them to naturally demonstrate those qualities. And when I saw leaders who excelled in areas I found more challenging, I was genuinely impressed.

Over time, that thinking has shifted. I’ve come to realize that it’s not so much about being deficient, but about understanding what energizes you and what depletes you. There are leadership skills that align with my natural style—tasks I lean into because I enjoy them and they feel effortless. Then there are other areas I can handle when needed, but they drain me. The more I talked openly with other leaders, the more I began to understand: great leadership teams aren’t made up of identical skill sets. Instead, they thrive when each individual brings a different strength to the table. One person’s frustration may be another’s genius.

That belief—that leadership should be developed, supported, and balanced—is what led me to prioritize the growth of our administrative team. Each month, as we gather to plan and envision our future, I make it a point to also invest in our leaders’ individual development and our cohesion as a team.

This year, we’ve anchored that development in Patrick Lencioni’s Working Genius framework. Lencioni introduces a refreshingly honest and practical way to understand work and leadership styles. The model breaks down how we approach work into six distinct types of “Genius.”

The six Geniuses are:

1. Wonder: The ability to reflect and ask big-picture questions. These are the people who see possibilities and gaps that others miss.
2. Invention: The gift of creativity, coming up with original ideas and solutions.
3. Discernment: The knack for evaluating and sensing what will work, based on intuition and judgment.
4. Galvanizing: The energy to rally and motivate people toward a cause or idea.
5. Enablement: The supportiveness to help others get things done and feel empowered.
6. Tenacity: The drive to follow through, finish tasks, and ensure goals are met.

Each person has two areas of Genius (where they thrive), two Competencies (skills they can perform but don’t find energizing), and two Frustrations (areas that feel draining or unnatural).

I began the year by presenting an overview of the framework at the beginning of each month’s leadership team meeting. This gave our team a common language and context. From there, each leader completed the Working Genius assessment to discover their own unique profile. I then met one-on-one with every team member to review their results—highlighting their Geniuses and acknowledging their Frustrations.

What emerged from these conversations was powerful. Leaders felt seen and validated. It wasn’t about fixing perceived weaknesses, but about understanding how we each approach work. In recent meetings, we’ve taken this learning deeper by examining how our differences play out when we work together.

For example, one of our leaders with the Genius of Invention often throws out rapid-fire ideas in meetings. Meanwhile, a teammate with Tenacity can feel overwhelmed, eager to move into action and close loops. By understanding their different Geniuses, they’ve found ways to align—giving space for creativity, while also anchoring ideas in actionable next steps.

We also recently used AI to deepen this learning. I facilitated a session where leaders worked in small groups and used tools like ChatGPT and Gemini. Their task was to explore how AI could help identify potential blind spots or prepare for a meeting with a colleague who operates from a different Genius style. The results were thoughtful and strategic—leaders practiced using AI to shift perspectives and fine-tune their approach to collaboration.

The takeaway is this: investing in leadership development is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. Our teams grow stronger when we understand not just what we do, but how and why we do it. If you haven’t yet explored the Working Genius framework, I encourage you to dive in. It just might change the way you lead—and the way your team thrives.

You can learn more at workinggenius.com. If you have questions about how I implemented it, feel free to contact me!