Did you know that burnout and people management can go hand-in-hand? For many people, burnout is connected to working in ways or areas that are draining for someone without them even realizing it! That’s one of the many things I love about Patrick Lencioni’s 6 Types of Working Genius.
The 6 Types of Working Genius model explains in an easy-to-grasp framework how stuff gets done. In simplest terms, The 6 Types of Working Genius move from the 30,000 ft view of wondering about the big questions through generating and choosing solutions to mobilizing others and working on those solutions until finally “landing the plane” and implementing those solutions. For a brief overview of the model from Patrick Lencioni, watch this video from The Table Group.
When I first read through Lencioni’s book, I had a couple of eye-opening “Aha” moments. One particular moment had to do with my understanding of myself. Of the 6 types, one of my working frustrations is Tenacity. As a result, I have viewed myself as lazy at multiple points in life just like a description in the book, but the reality is that I’m not lazy. It’s just part of how God made me. I tend to be good at evaluating ideas (Discernment), and I’m prone to think about big questions (Wonder). If I help other people process big ideas and I’m not part of “landing the plane” it doesn’t bother me while for others, they can’t imagine missing out on landing the plane.
Because of the value I recognize in this material, I have become a Certified Working Genius Facilitator. This means that I am trained to work with individual pastors to help you recognize your working genius, and what your working genius means for your work. Moreover, I can also help you and your church staff recognize how each of your working geniuses and frustrations impact your ability to function well as a ministry team and how to shore up any areas of weakness in your ministry.
If you or your church are interested in gaining more information or setting up a time to meet, you can reach out to the Blair Center by emailing blaircenter@sbuniv.edu or booking an appointment below.