What Are the Six Types of Working Genius (WIDGET)?

If you have ever wondered why some kinds of work make you feel alive while others make you question your life choices, you are not alone. The Six Types of Working Genius offer a simple but surprisingly deep explanation.

Patrick Lencioni created this working genius model after years of watching team members burn out doing the wrong types of work. Pat Lencioni and the Table Group team noticed a pattern. People were not broken. The type of work they were being asked to do simply did not match their natural genius.

That one insight has had a positive impact on thousands of teams. The framework explains why one person thrives in big questions and another finds joy in meticulous detail. It is not about personality. It is not a personality test at all. It is about where you get your energy and where you lose it.

When you discover your natural genius, your work life suddenly feels less confusing. If you ever want help applying this with your team, school or organisation, you can always reach me at [email protected]. I love helping people align with their best work.

Knowing your genius matters because most conflict at work is not personal. It is mismatched expectations. Someone expects you to love a type of work that drains you. Someone else expects you to enjoy inventing new ideas when you would much prefer to get things finished. Once you understand your geniuses, your daily work becomes far more sustainable and far more satisfying.

Why Pairings Matter More Than You Think

Every Working Genius type is helpful, but your pairing is where your real story lives. It is the rhythm of how you show up. It explains why you run toward certain tasks and avoid others. Pairings reveal the combinations that fuel creativity, momentum or stability. They also explain the rough edges of each working genius pairing and why you might clash with someone who thinks in a completely different way.

A quick note here. Pairings help make sense of how you naturally respond to the needs of others. If someone with the genius of wonder asks a huge question during a meeting, you might get excited or annoyed depending on your own profile. When a colleague with the genius of tenacity pushes hard toward the finish line, that might energise you or make you feel pressured. The pairing lens brings clarity.

If you want to map out your entire team using a working genius team map, or you want support with leadership development around this framework, reach out anytime. As a certified working genius facilitator, I help many organisations make sense of their pairings and reduce unnecessary conflict. You can email me at [email protected].

PART 1: FOUNDATION

How Pairings Work

Each pairing blends two innate talents. This is why two people with the same genius can show up differently depending on the pairing that shapes it. For example, someone with the genius of discernment and the genius of invention approaches new ideas very differently from someone with discernment combined with tenacity. The pairings influence whether you move slowly or quickly, emotionally or logically, independently or collaboratively.

When you recognise your pairing, you also start seeing how it affects your stages of work. Some pairings thrive during early brainstorming. Some shine during activation. Some belong deep in the trenches of implementation. Instead of pushing yourself through the wrong type of work, you finally get permission to lean into what energises you most.

Try watching your energy levels during your next project. Notice the moments when time flies because you are doing your best work. That energy points directly to your natural genius.

The Anatomy of a Pairing

Each pairing contains strengths and a few frustrating tendencies. Understanding these rough edges helps you lead and collaborate with far more empathy. For example, the creative dreamer might generate incredible ideas but forget where they put their coffee during the process. A contemplative counselor might ask deep reflective questions that some team members interpret as slowing the project down.

Once you see the anatomy of your pairing, you can design your workflow so you shine more often and get stuck less often. You also become more compassionate. You stop assuming other people are being difficult. You realise their pairing simply values different parts of the stages of work. This makes a huge positive impact on team dynamics.

One simple way to use this is to schedule your meaningful work at the time of day you naturally have the most energy. It sets you up for better results while reducing frustration.

PART 2: THE 15 UNIQUE PAIRINGS

Below are the fifteen pairings, written with nuance and real-world application. You will also notice that I incorporate the keywords naturally throughout this section.

The Creative Dreamer: WI / IW

Creative Dreamers play in the world of wonder and invention. They see new possibilities everywhere. They ask big questions that open doors no one else realised were there. They challenge the status quo without apologising for it. They love thinking about what could be instead of what currently is.

If this is your pairing, schedule regular time for exploration. You might think dreaming is unproductive. It is not. It is actually your personal productivity tool. Many leaders overlook how essential Creative Dreamers are. They are the ones who start the conversations that become the next step for a team or organisation.

The Contemplative Counselor: WD / DW

These individuals have the genius of wonder combined with the genius of discernment. They take in the room before speaking. They ask wise questions, spot patterns and help teams slow down enough to consider what matters most. They often feel like the calm presence in a meeting full of rapid voices.

If this is you, try articulating your process. People sometimes misinterpret your thoughtful silence as disagreement, when really you are protecting the group from potential problems. One of the things I often share with leaders is that contemplative counselors are priceless during early ideation. If you want deep thinking, these are your people.

The Philosophical Motivator: WG / GW

Blending wonder with galvanising, Philosophical Motivators bring purpose to motion. They ask the meaningful questions and then inspire others to care about the answers. They carry a natural leadership development instinct because they see both the heart and the horizon.

If this is your pairing, use your voice intentionally. You help others reconnect to the deeper purpose during busy seasons. When a team feels tired, your perspective can shift everything. Many business leaders unknowingly rely heavily on their Philosophical Motivators without realising how crucial they are.

The Idealistic Supporter: WE / EW

This pairing loves helping people succeed. They are responsive, relational and deeply loyal. They are consummate cheerleaders but with substance. They sense the needs of others faster than most and provide support that often feels invisible but incredibly important.

If you recognise yourself here, remember that your presence helps teams move forward. You turn emotional chaos into grounded progress. Idealistic Supporters are often underappreciated. Do not underestimate your value. Try stepping into support roles with intention rather than obligation. Your impact multiplies when you set healthy boundaries.

The Careful Implementer: WT / TW

Careful Implementers bring order and reliability. They love understanding the detailed work required to finish a project properly. They are the ones who triple check the checklist before the big moment. This pairing brings tremendous stability to a team.

If this is you, take pride in your strength. The genius of tenacity you embody is essential to every project. Without you, nothing gets completed. You are the finish line people desperately need even if they do not always thank you for it. Try partnering with someone who loves ideation. Together, you become unstoppable.

The Discriminating Ideator: ID / DI

These individuals combine invention with discernment. They produce ideas that are already halfway refined. They skip the clumsy early stage and jump straight into concepts with strong potential. They are often the ones who say, “What if we tried this instead?” and everyone pauses because it is actually a very good idea.

If this is your pairing, lean into early conversations. Teams avoid wasting time when you offer insights early. You also help prevent analysis paralysis because you naturally cut through noise with clarity.

The Evangelizing Innovator: IG / GI

Evangelizing Innovators do not just bring ideas. They bring excitement. They get people to care. They turn abstract possibilities into movements. If your team lacks energy, find an Evangelizing Innovator and let them breathe life into the project.

If this is you, be strategic about when you speak. You are powerful. Use that power to bring momentum at crucial points. Your enthusiasm helps teams believe again. Many of the genius podcast episodes highlight how people with this pairing spark transformation simply by voicing their passion.

The Adaptable Designer: IE / EI

This pairing loves experimenting, troubleshooting and adjusting in real time. They are quick thinkers who improve ideas with a designer’s intuition. They thrive in environments that require flexibility rather than rigid rules.

If this is your pairing, embrace iteration. You are at your best when improvising. Try keeping your tools simple. Your genius works best when you are not overwhelmed by overly structured processes.

The Methodical Architect: IT / TI

People with this pairing build structures that last. They see the hidden gears inside a system. They understand how to turn a concept into something stable, repeatable and reliable. In many ways, they prevent chaos before chaos arrives.

If you see yourself here, take on the planning phase boldly. You excel at turning vision into reality. Teams lean heavily on Methodical Architects during implementation. You provide the spine of the system.

The Intuitive Activator: DG / GD

This pairing senses when talk is dragging and action is overdue. They know when to push. They know when to start. They are the spark that gets things moving. If you have ever thought “We should have started this 20 minutes ago,” you might be an Intuitive Activator.

If this is your pairing, be honest about your strength. You move people from conversation to execution. You help overcome inertia. The working genius podcast often references this pairing as the antidote to overthinking in meetings.

The Insightful Collaborator: DE / ED

Insightful Collaborators combine discernment with enablement. They understand people at a deep level and know how to help without overstepping. They are the glue that holds teams together.

If this is you, your empathy is not accidental. It is a skill. Use it to strengthen transitions, mediate tension and support leaders who feel overwhelmed. People trust you because you earn that trust repeatedly.

The Judicious Accomplisher: DT / TD

This pairing brings a rare mix of thoughtful decision making and reliable execution. They consider options carefully, choose wisely and follow through.

If you have this combination, you can lead complex projects with confidence. Your ability to balance judgment and action is a gift. Try communicating your reasoning more often. It helps others understand the wisdom behind your choices.

The Enthusiastic Encourager: GE / EG

Enthusiastic Encouragers energise teams through affirmation, excitement and genuine positivity. They remind everyone that work can, in fact, be enjoyable.

If this is you, use your energy strategically. You help teams push through difficult moments. In Greg’s weekly newsletter, leaders often write in describing how an encourager kept their team hopeful during a tough season. Do not underestimate the cultural power you carry.

The Assertive Driver: GT / TG

Assertive Drivers bring focus, momentum and clarity. They move things forward even when obstacles appear. They refuse to let a project drift.

If this is your pairing, own your leadership voice. You help people stay aligned. You keep teams from losing themselves in side quests. Try pairing with someone who brings creative energy. Together, you blend direction with innovation.

The Loyal Finisher: ET / TE

Loyal Finishers honour commitments, close loops and complete tasks with dedication. They are dependable and steady.

If this is you, celebrate your reliability. You bring peace to teams because people trust you. You are often the one who carries a project across the line even when others lose interest. Try sharing your workload early to avoid burnout.

PART 3: MAKING PAIRINGS USEFUL

How Pairings Predict Burnout

Burnout often has nothing to do with skill and everything to do with misalignment. When your work drifts too far from your geniuses, your energy drains rapidly. This is where understanding your pairing becomes one of the most practical productivity tools available.

Try listing the tasks that drain you this week. Then compare them to your pairing. It is eye opening.

How Pairings Shape Leadership Styles

Your pairing influences the way you lead, whether you realise it or not. Some leaders bring disruptive energy that pushes teams to think differently. Others bring a calming, responsive presence that fosters deeper trust. Understanding your pairing helps you realise why certain leadership habits feel natural while others feel exhausting. It also stops you from trying to imitate the leadership style of someone whose genius is completely different.

For example, someone with the genius of wonder might guide a team by asking profound questions that open new perspectives. A leader with the genius of tenacity may lead by demonstrating relentless follow through. Both are valid. Both are powerful. Both create positive impact. They just come from different types of work.

Try asking a colleague how they experience your leadership. Their honest reflections often reveal more about your natural genius than you realise.

How Pairings Shape Team Dynamics

Teams often experience conflict not because people dislike each other, but because their working geniuses collide. Someone with a pairing that moves slowly and thoughtfully might frustrate someone who wants instant momentum. Meanwhile, a teammate with galvanising energy might overwhelm someone who prefers to observe quietly before engaging.

Once a team knows its pairings, these tensions become understandable instead of personal. The working genius framework gives everyone a shared language. It removes assumptions and reduces defensiveness. The Table Group team often talks about how this new model has changed countless organisations by helping them stop misinterpreting one another.

Try posting a simple team map on the wall during your next meeting. Seeing everyone’s pairing visually changes the way conversations unfold. If you want help creating a working genius team map for your department or entire staff, feel free to reach out at [email protected].

How Pairings Fit Into the Three Stages of Work

Every project includes three stages. Ideation, activation and implementation. If a team is missing a genius in any of these stages, the project stalls. Creative Dreamers might start a thousand ideas without a single clear path. Teams full of Evangelizing Innovators might activate without evaluating. A group dominated by Loyal Finishers might execute flawlessly but only on ideas that could have been improved.

Pairings help identify where a project will struggle long before it becomes a crisis. You can predict bottlenecks, redistribute tasks and invite the right people into the right meetings. The working genius podcast often highlights stories where a team struggled for years simply because they did not have activation geniuses in the room.

Try analysing your last project through the lens of these three stages. You will instantly see why the smooth phases felt smooth and why the slow phases felt slow.

PART 4: PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Pairing Based Career Alignment

Career satisfaction skyrockets when your role aligns with your pairing. Many people spend decades thinking they lack motivation when the real issue is misalignment. A careful implementer placed in a strategic innovation role will feel out of place. An Evangelizing Innovator placed in a slow, bureaucratic environment will lose energy quickly. The type of work you do matters far more than most people admit.

When your daily work aligns with your natural genius, you experience joy, momentum and creativity. When it conflicts, you feel drained even if you are technically good at the tasks. You can be competent and miserable at the same time, which is something Pat Lencioni talks about often in his genius podcast episodes.

Try identifying which tasks give you the most energy each week. Then rearrange your schedule to tackle them earlier in the day. Your entire work life will feel lighter.

How to Work With Each Pairing

Different pairings need different kinds of communication. This is not about catering to people’s personalities. It is about recognising the innate talents that drive them. A Discriminating Ideator needs space to refine ideas. A Loyal Finisher needs clear expectations. An Idealistic Supporter needs collaborative environments. Understanding these needs makes teamwork feel smoother and more respectful.

Try asking each person on your team one simple question. What kind of work gives you your most joy. Their answer will reveal more than you expect.

How to Use Pairings in Hiring and Team Building

Hiring becomes far easier when you understand the genius requirements of a role. If a job requires significant invention and discernment, do not hire someone whose geniuses sit in enablement and tenacity. They might be wonderful, talented people, but the type of work will drain them quickly.

Pairings help you build teams intentionally. They also reduce turnover because people are less likely to burn out when their job plays to their natural strengths. You can even incorporate genius conversations into your leadership development plan or your interview process to help candidates articulate where they shine.

Try reviewing the last three people who struggled in your organisation. Their working geniuses will likely explain why they found the role difficult.

How to Use Pairings to Fix Meetings

Meetings often become frustrating because the wrong mix of geniuses is present. You do not need every pairing in every meeting. It is okay to involve the Creative Dreamer early and the Loyal Finisher later. It is okay to ask the Intuitive Activator to step in once the team is ready to move. A single misaligned pairing can create tension, confusion or wasted time.

For example, if your team is still exploring ideas, do not let the Assertive Driver push everyone toward premature action. If you are in the late implementation stage, do not open the floor for new invention. Understanding this saves time, energy and conflict.

Try assigning roles in a meeting based on genius rather than job title. Your meetings will transform almost instantly.

Pairings in Schools

Schools rely heavily on collaboration. Teachers, department heads, principals and project leads work across different responsibilities and timelines. When a school understands working genius pairings, everything becomes easier. Leaders assign tasks more effectively. Teachers collaborate more naturally. Teams avoid unnecessary conflict.

Schools often rely on the genius of tenacity in administrative roles and the genius of wonder or invention in curriculum development. Understanding these patterns helps create a healthier work culture.

If your school wants support bringing Working Genius to your leadership team or all staff, I would love to help. Email me anytime at [email protected]. Many schools tell me the framework instantly helped them reduce overwhelm.

PART 5: WRAP UP AND RESOURCE

What Happens When You Know Your Pairing

When you understand your pairing, your entire approach to work changes. You stop blaming yourself for tasks that drain you. You stop resenting team members whose geniuses differ from yours. You become more patient, more empathetic and more self aware. You start doing more meaningful work instead of forcing yourself through tasks that feel unnatural.

Knowing your pairing gives you direction. It helps you understand what kind of projects to say yes to and which ones you should pass on. It also helps you connect the dots between your own genius and the needs of others. It is one of the simplest but most transformative discoveries a person can make.

Try looking at the last five tasks you procrastinated. They probably fall outside your natural genius. That clarity alone is worth the price of the working genius assessment.

Next Steps

If this resonates with you, your next step is simple. Take the Working Genius Assessment. Map your team. Start shifting your responsibilities in small but meaningful ways. Pay attention to where you gain and lose energy. Explore your pairing with curiosity rather than pressure.

The new model created by Pat Lencioni and the Table Group team is not just another productivity tool. It is a framework that helps people rediscover joy in their work life and reconnect with their greater potential.

And if you want someone to walk alongside you or your team on this journey, I would love to help. Whether you are a team leader, a business leader or someone simply wanting personal clarity, email me at [email protected]. I help teams create alignment, reduce friction and do their best work with far less stress.

Your pairing is not the whole story, but it is a powerful place to begin.