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Go beyond traditional personality tests and get a deeper understanding of your team's natural competencies with Working Genius.
Imagine a tool that offers you a mirror, not of your traits or preferences, but of your most efficient modes of operation and potential areas of strife. This is the promise of the Working Genius model, which posits that each project is built on six foundational pillars, none of which operates in isolation.
In essence, “The 6 Types of Working Genius” helps your team unlock their potential with its revolutionary approach to understanding and leveraging individuals’ innate strengths. The platform transcends traditional personality tests to provide a deep understanding of our natural competencies and areas for development based not on what we are good at, rather, what brings us joy or exhausts us. It is knowledge you can actually implement.
The Working Genius assessment helps identify where an individual’s natural talents lie across six distinct types of working genius: Wonder, Invention, Discernment, Galvanizing, Enablement, and Tenacity.
By recognizing the combined genius of your team, you'll experience enhanced collaboration, creativity, and ultimately, a happier and more efficient workforce.
After completing a short assessment, participants learn where they have areas of genius, working competency and frustration in the following areas:
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Wonder: Speculates and questions, champions the pursuit of what could be.
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Invention: Enjoys innovating from scratch, finds joy in blank canvases.
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Discernment: Evaluates workability, is adept at feedback and pattern recognition.
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Galvanizing: Loves to inspire and get things moving, the firestarter of the team.
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Enablement: Makes projects happen, is highly attuned to support and logistics.
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Tenacity: Task-driven, ensures completion and conformance to standards.
These are not mere descriptions but identifiers of the inherent preferences and passions that drive us in our work. Each professional resonates more deeply with one or a combination of these geniuses, which can often be juxtaposed against the responsibilities and expectations of their roles. Of note is the distinction from this model and other personality profiles. In many cases, areas of working frustration may be areas in which someone excels, but they zap their energy and don’t bring them joy, further validating that this tool isn’t about strengths and weaknesses. By leveraging our natural tendencies, we can experience a level of synergy with our tasks and teams that is deeply instructive to the future of the workplace.
The advantages of working in alignment with your innate genius are manifold, cutting through the typical workplace narratives of burnout, stress, and dissatisfaction. By identifying and harnessing your genius, you unlock the secret to:
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Sustained engagement and motivation, as you are naturally drawn to the work that ignites your passion.
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Improved team dynamics, as you recognize and appreciate the unique contributions each team member brings.
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Personalized performance evaluation, providing a clear lens for both self and organizational assessments.
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Enhanced job satisfaction, as you spend more time on what you love and less on what drains you.
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Strategic skill development, allowing focused and deliberate growth in areas that complement your genius.
Getting Started: Workshops
AOE has certified Working Genius consultants ready to guide you in a workshop to help understand what drives employee fulfillment, leading to employees being more productive and successful in their role and as a team.
The assessment only takes about 10 minutes and a team map can be created, providing insight into whether your team composition is optimal and if your expectations align with individual strengths. By recognizing these diverse talents, teams can allocate tasks more effectively, ensuring that each member is engaged in activities where they naturally excel and find fulfillment.
Key Resources
FAQs about Working Genius
What does the Working Genius assessment measure, and how can it benefit individuals and teams?
The Working Genius assessment identifies your natural gifts across six types of work—Wonder, Discernment, Galvanizing, Enablement, Invention and Tenacity. It reveals three areas: your "Working Geniuses," tasks that energize and fulfill you; "Working Competencies," tasks you’re capable of but don’t enjoy deeply; and "Working Frustrations," tasks that drain your energy. By understanding these, individuals and teams can improve productivity, collaboration and satisfaction by focusing on contributions that align with their strengths.
What are the six types of Working Genius?
The six types of Working Genius represent different stages of work necessary for any project or initiative to succeed. They are:
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Wonder: Identifying opportunities for improvement or greater potential.
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Invention: Generating creative, original ideas or solutions.
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Discernment: Evaluating and refining ideas with insight and intuition.
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Galvanizing: Inspiring and mobilizing others to take action.
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Enablement: Providing support and assistance to drive projects forward.
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Tenacity: Ensuring tasks are completed with excellence and results are achieved.
What are the differences between Working Genius, Working Competence and Working Frustration?
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Working Genius: These are the areas where you experience natural joy and energy. You excel at these tasks and love doing them.
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Working Competence: These areas involve tasks you can perform effectively but don’t derive great enjoyment from.
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Working Frustration: These are tasks that drain your energy and where you struggle or feel disengaged.
Recognizing these distinctions helps individuals spend less time in areas of frustration while emphasizing their areas of genius.
How is the Working Genius assessment conducted, and what is the typical duration for completing it?
The Working Genius assessment is an online test designed to be completed in approximately 15-20 minutes. It includes questions aimed at identifying your tendencies, preferences and areas of strength across the six types of work.
How can organizations use the Working Genius results to enhance team performance and collaboration?
Organizations can use the Working Genius assessment to identify team members' respective strengths and allocate tasks more effectively. By building balanced teams where every type of genius is represented, they can ensure all stages of a project are addressed. This approach also helps reduce burnout by placing individuals in roles aligned with their Working Geniuses. Additionally, it fosters better communication and understanding within teams by appreciating each member’s unique contributions. Organizations can develop targeted personal and professional development plans based on team dynamics.
How are Working Genius results interpreted, and what insights do they reveal about work styles?
Assessment results categorize an individual’s relationship with the six types of work into three distinct areas: Geniuses, Competencies and Frustrations. This categorization provides valuable insights into the work activities that naturally energize and engage them, allowing individuals to focus on tasks that align with their strengths and interests. Geniuses represent areas where individuals excel and feel most fulfilled, often requiring little effort to perform at a high level. Competencies are areas where individuals can perform adequately but may not feel as passionate or driven. Frustrations, on the other hand, highlight tasks that individuals find draining or challenging, indicating areas where they might need support from others to excel.
By understanding these categories, individuals can identify opportunities to enhance collaboration with their teammates. This involves strategically aligning their strengths with those of their colleagues, ensuring a more balanced and effective team dynamic. The self-awareness gained from this assessment leads to increased engagement and motivation, as individuals can focus on tasks that resonate with them. It promotes improved work satisfaction, as people are more likely to enjoy their work when it aligns with their natural talents. Ultimately, this understanding helps optimize contributions to team efforts, fostering a more productive and harmonious work environment.
What are the key benefits of using the Working Genius assessment for personal or team development?
Assessments offer several key advantages that can significantly benefit individuals and teams. They enhance self-awareness by helping people understand their strengths and weaknesses, enabling more intentional personal and professional growth. Teams also benefit from improved collaboration as members gain insights into how each person contributes to a project, fostering a stronger sense of cohesion.
Job satisfaction increases when individuals focus on tasks that align with their unique skills and interests, and overall productivity improves when the right talents are matched to the right tasks. Furthermore, these assessments create opportunities for growth by addressing frustrations and managing team dynamics more effectively. Serving as a tool for long-term development, they help individuals and teams build stronger connections while achieving their goals more efficiently.
How can I find out my team's Working Geniuses?
Curious about how the Working Genius assessment can transform your team’s performance and morale? AOE offers expert facilitation and workshops tailored to your organization's needs. Reach out to schedule a session or learn more about implementing this innovative tool within your team!