What is your Working Genius? The Working Genius podcast is designed to help people identify their natural gifts and find joy and fulfillment in their work and life.
Leadership and teamwork expert Patrick Lencioni and his team explore the Working Genius model and provide practical advice for applying this framework individually, at our jobs and in our homes. What type of work makes you thrive? Are you burning out because your job requires you to work in your areas of frustration? How can teams and families better tap into one another’s gifts? This podcast answers all these questions and more.
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Données mises à jour le 07/10/2026
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Could you be judging someone’s Working Genius based on the wrong expectations?
In episode 123 of the Working Genius Podcast, Pat Lencioni and Cody Thompson explore whether someone can truly be bad at an area of Working Genius and why a genuine genius can sometimes appear ineffective to others. They unpack the influence of genius pairings, assessment bias, timing, context, environment, and the specific problem someone is trying to solve. The conversation also reveals the surprising danger of becoming exceptionally good at work that drains you, especially when that competence causes others to keep asking you to do more of it.
Topics explored in this episode:
(00:00) Can You Actually Be Bad at Your Genius?
Pat introduces the question of whether someone can genuinely have a Working Genius while appearing to be ineffective in that area.
Pat and Cody consider inaccurate assessment results, lack of practice, and the distinction between natural genius and learned capability.
(04:26) Your Pairing Changes Everything
Cody explains how a person’s second genius can dramatically change what the first genius looks like in practice.
Pat and Cody contrast different forms of Invention and explain why comparing someone to a narrow definition of a genius can lead to false conclusions.
(08:28) The Danger of Mastering Your Frustrations
Pat and Cody discuss why becoming highly skilled at work that drains you can create a trap where others continually expect that work from you.
Pat describes how years of succeeding through his Working Frustrations ultimately contributed to a strong aversion to finishing and execution-oriented tasks.
(12:00) Right Genius, Wrong Time
Cody explains how a genius used out of sequence or directed toward the wrong problem can appear destructive, annoying, or ineffective.
Pat and Cody explore how timing, restraint, context, and the quality of the underlying opportunity all influence whether a genius produces a useful result.
(16:09) How Environment Shapes Your Genius
Pat and Cody caution against labeling someone as bad at their genius without first considering pairing, context, timing, and the environment in which that genius developed.
They close by examining how family, culture, comparison, and past experience can shape a person’s understanding of what strong performance in a genius actually looks like.
This episode of The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni is brought to you by The Table Group: www.tablegroup.com. We teach leaders how to make work more effective and less dysfunctional. We also help their employees be more fulfilled and less miserable.
The Six Types of Working Genius model helps you discover your natural gifts and thrive in your work and life. When you’re able to better understand the types of work that bring you more energy and fulfillment and avoid work that leads to frustration and failure, you can be more self-aware, more productive, and more successful.
Can you truly be bad at something that is one of your Working Geniuses?
In episode 122 of the Working Genius Podcast, Pat Lencioni and Cody Thompson explore whether someone can genuinely be “bad” at one of their Working Geniuses and reveal why the answer is more complicated than it first appears. They examine how assessment accuracy, genius pairings, timing, context, environment, and expectations can cause a genuine strength to be misunderstood or poorly applied. They also warn that becoming exceptionally good at work that drains you can create its own trap, leading others to expect more of the very work you should not be doing constantly.
Topics explored in this episode:
(00:00) Can You Be Bad at Your Genius?
Pat introduces the surprising possibility that becoming skilled at work outside your genius can create long-term problems.
Pat and Cody begin unpacking whether someone can genuinely have a Working Genius while appearing to be bad at it.
(04:26) Why Genius Pairings Change Everything
Cody explains how the second letter in a Working Genius pairing can dramatically change how a particular genius appears in practice.
Pat and Cody contrast different forms of Invention, showing why one inventor may generate wild conceptual ideas while another focuses on practical systems and implementation.
(08:28) The Danger of Getting Good at Your Frustrations
Pat and Cody discuss why becoming highly competent at work that drains you can cause other people to continually expect that work from you.
Pat shares how years of succeeding in his frustrations created such a strong aversion that even relatively simple Tenacity-related tasks can now feel difficult.
(12:00) Using Your Genius at the Wrong Time
Cody explains that a genius can look ineffective or even destructive when it is used out of sequence, aimed at the wrong problem, or applied when it is not needed.
121. Crush Your Career Box
Épisode 121
mardi 8 septembre 2026 • Durée 23:42
What if your job title is keeping you from seeing better career opportunities?
In episode 121 of the Working Genius Podcast, Pat Lencioni and Cody Thompson challenge the traditional idea that a career should be defined by a title, industry, degree, or resume. They explain how Working Genius can help people identify the work that gives them energy and discover opportunities in places they might never have considered. They also explore how employers can use Working Genius to hire for natural strengths and passion rather than relying primarily on technical experience.
Topics explored in this episode:
(00:00) Stop Defining Yourself by Your Field
Pat and Cody explain why defining a career by a company, industry, degree, or job title can unnecessarily limit the opportunities people consider.
Working Genius offers another way to think about a career by focusing on the work that naturally brings someone energy, joy, and fulfillment.
(04:34) Look Beyond the Name on Your Business Card
Cody explains how two people with the same profession can contribute in very different ways depending on their Working Geniuses.
Pat and Cody explore how transferable strengths can create opportunities across professions and industries instead of trapping people in one established career path.
(09:38) Go Where Your Strengths Are Most Valued
Cody shares the story of a vintage watch whose perceived value changes depending on where it is taken, illustrating why the same abilities can be valued very differently across organizations.
Pat encourages people to look for workplaces that genuinely need and appreciate their strengths rather than simply pursuing jobs that resemble their previous experience.
(14:43) Take a Risk on the Work That Energizes You
120. What Working Genius Says About Prayer
Épisode 120
mardi 25 août 2026 • Durée 11:48
How might your Working Genius influence the way you naturally pray?
In episode 120 of the Working Genius Podcast, Patrick Lencioni and Cody explore the idea that Working Genius may shape not only how people work, but also how they naturally approach prayer. They discuss how different forms of prayer, including spontaneous prayer, journaling, contemplation, structured prayers, silence, and group prayer, may appeal to different kinds of wiring. Ultimately, they encourage listeners to understand their natural preferences without becoming limited by them, because some of the most meaningful spiritual growth may come from praying outside their genius.
Topics explored in this episode:
(00:00) How Your Wiring Shapes Prayer
Pat introduces the idea that people may have natural prayer preferences connected to their Working Genius, just as they have preferences in the way they approach work.
He explains that understanding those tendencies can reduce guilt or self-judgment when someone does not naturally enjoy praying the same way another person does.
(02:19) Finding Your Natural Prayer Style
Cody connects his Discernment and Galvanizing combination to spontaneous, in-the-moment prayer and considers how disruptive versus responsive tendencies might also affect prayer.
Pat gives examples of how different Working Genius combinations might lend themselves to group prayer, contemplative prayer, journaling, or more structured practices.
(04:46) Why You Should Pray Outside Your Genius
Pat explains that people should not limit themselves to doing only the work, or prayer, that comes naturally to them.
He describes how structured prayer such as the rosary can become especially meaningful when he intentionally embraces it despite it not being his natural preference.
(07:12) Stretching Beyond What Feels Comfortable
119. The Genius of Parenting
Épisode 119
mardi 11 août 2026 • Durée 19:04
How can you identify what naturally gives your child energy and joy?
In episode 119 Patrick Lencioni and Cody Thompson explore how the Working Genius model can help you better understand, affirm, and guide your children. They explain why trying to make children more well-rounded can unintentionally suppress the qualities that make them unique. You will learn how curiosity, affirmation, and awareness of your own wiring can help your children feel seen and become more confident in who they are.
Topics explored in this episode:
(00:00) Parenting as a Leadership Role
Patrick explains why understanding a child’s Working Genius can help parents affirm natural instincts instead of treating them like problems.
Patrick and Cody frame the family as an important organization that deserves the same intentional leadership and development often reserved for the workplace.
(04:06) Discovering How Your Child Is Wired
Parents can begin identifying a child’s genius by observing what gives them energy, what frustrates them, and what they naturally choose to do.
Cody encourages parents to lead with curiosity rather than assuming their role is to straighten out or reshape a child’s natural tendencies.
(07:28) Affirming Features Instead of Fixing Flaws
Patrick and Cody give examples of how parents can affirm children with Wonder, Galvanizing, Discernment, and Invention.
They explain how seemingly harmless corrections can communicate that a child’s deepest instincts are defects that need to be suppressed.
(11:46) Letting Children Use Their Gifts
The hosts examine how Enablement and Tenacity can be misunderstood when parents prioritize independence, relaxation, or conventional ideas of balance.
118. Recharge With Your People
Épisode 118
mardi 28 juillet 2026 • Durée 16:00
Who makes you feel completely understood in the way you work?
Spending time with people who share your Working Genius types can give you energy, joy, and the relief of feeling fully understood. In episode 118 of the Working Genius Podcast, Patrick Lencioni and Cody Thompson explain why these pressure-free interactions act like a “personality spa,” allowing you to enjoy your natural gifts without needing to produce a result. They also offer practical ideas for finding your people and creating restorative experiences at work, at home, and in your friendships.
Topics explored in this episode:
(00:00) The Relief of Being Understood
Pat introduces the idea that Working Genius diversity is valuable, but occasionally being around people with the same genius types can be deeply restorative.
Cody explains that recharging does not always require unplugging from everything because people can regain energy by plugging into the right relationships and activities.
(03:09) Using Your Genius Without Pressure
Pat and Cody describe how shared Discernment allows them to evaluate movies, sports, rules, and ideas simply for the enjoyment of thinking together.
They explain that a “personality spa” creates permission to play with a genius without being responsible for executing the ideas that emerge.
(06:33) Building Your Own Genius Playdate
Pat describes the freedom people experience when they spend time with someone who shares both of their geniuses and does not require them to edit themselves.
Cody shares his idea for a “minnow tank,” where entrepreneurs could bring half-formed ideas for others to discern and galvanize without the pressure of a formal business pitch.
(09:44) Feeling Seen at Work and Home
Pat imagines companies creating lunches for employees with matching Working Genius combinations so they can share experiences, feel understood, and positively commiserate.
117. Marriage Q+A with our Wives
Épisode 117
mardi 14 juillet 2026 • Durée 33:49
What if the thing that frustrates you most about your spouse is actually part of how they are wired?
In episode 117 of the Working Genius Podcast, Pat Lencioni and Cody Thompson bring their wives, Laura Lencioni and Lindsay Thompson, back into the conversation to answer more questions about applying Working Genius to marriage. Together, they share how the model helps couples avoid judgment, release guilt, clarify roles, and better understand the ways each spouse naturally contributes at home. Through stories about tenacity, galvanizing, parenting, household planning, and family dynamics, they show how Working Genius can bring freedom, compassion, and practical clarity to marriage.
Topics explored in this episode:
(00:00) Why Working Genius Belongs In Marriage
Pat explains how the fundamental attribution error can cause spouses to misread each other’s behavior as disrespectful or selfish.
Cody introduces the follow-up conversation from the marriage webinar with Laura Lencioni and Lindsay Thompson.
(06:03) Guilt, Judgment, And Household Expectations
Lindsay shares how understanding Cody’s lack of tenacity helped her stop expecting him to contribute in the same way her father did.
Laura explains how not having tenacity created guilt and shame until Working Genius gave her a better way to understand herself.
(12:03) Opposite Geniuses And Shared Responsibilities
The group discusses how couples with different geniuses can become highly complementary when they appreciate each other’s strengths.
Cody and Lindsay explain how a family meeting conflict became clearer when they realized it required galvanizing, not just scheduling.
(18:14) Disruptive Geniuses, Outsourcing, And Family Dynamics
116. 5 Tips for Managers
Épisode 116
mardi 30 juin 2026 • Durée 20:37
How much trust could be built if managers were honest about their own working frustrations?
In episode 116 of the Working Genius Podcast, Patrick Lencioni and Cody Thompson share five practical tips for managers who want to use Working Genius with their employees in a meaningful way. They explain why managers should begin by listening, helping employees process their own results, and creating a safe space for conversations about geniuses, frustrations, and job fit. The episode shows how a simple Working Genius conversation can build trust, improve management, and help teams work with more clarity, energy, and effectiveness.
Topics explored in this episode:
(00:00) Why Working Genius Helps Employees Feel Seen
Patrick explains that when managers listen to employees describe their Working Genius results, employees often feel deeply known and understood.
Cody introduces the episode’s focus: five practical tips for managers who want to make Working Genius more useful in real conversations.
(01:55) Let Employees Digest and Describe Their Results
Patrick says managers should first give employees 15 to 20 minutes to read and absorb their Working Genius report before discussing it.
The first step is to let employees go first by describing what resonates, what surprised them, and how they understand their own geniuses and frustrations.
(06:02) Build Trust Through Frustrations and Job Implications
Patrick and Cody explain how talking about working frustrations can create vulnerability without making employees feel defective or criticized.
They encourage managers to ask how the employee’s results show up in their actual work, including projects that energized them or drained them.
(10:41) Use Working Genius to Create the Right Context
115. Work Allergies
Épisode 115
mardi 16 juin 2026 • Durée 14:52
What kind of work are you trying to master even though it consistently drains you?
In episode 115 of the Working Genius Podcast, Pat and Cody explore why people should not try to become great at their Working Frustrations. They explain how spending too much time in draining work can create a “work allergy,” making people resistant even to small, necessary doses of that work later on. The conversation encourages listeners to honor their natural gifts, avoid proving themselves through frustrating work, and practice moderation when unavoidable tasks arise.
Topics explored in this episode:
(00:00) Why Frustrations Shouldn’t Become Goals
Pat explains why people should not try to become excellent at the types of work that frustrate them.
He argues that mastering frustrating work takes energy away from the gifts and competencies people are actually meant to develop.
(02:03) The Cost of Getting Good at What You Hate
Pat lays out several reasons why becoming good at a frustration can backfire, including sending the wrong message to others.
Cody adds that trying to compete in someone else’s area of genius can create isolation instead of connection.
(05:58) Pat’s Personal Work Allergy
Pat shares how years of forcing himself into tenacity and enablement created an aversion to discipline.
He compares the experience to being forced to eat vegetables constantly and then resisting them entirely later in life.
(08:34) Burnout, Exposure, and Aversion
Cody connects the idea of work allergies to allergy treatment, explaining that small exposure can be helpful but overexposure can make aversion worse.
114. C X O
Épisode 114
mardi 2 juin 2026 • Durée 21:59
What would change if your team focused more on talents than job descriptions?
In episode 114 of the Working Genius Podcast, Patrick Lencioni and Cody Thompson explore why leadership roles cannot be reduced to generic titles or one-size-fits-all job descriptions. They explain how Working Genius helps leaders understand their own wiring, build around their gaps, and stop assuming that every CEO, COO, or team member should operate the same way. The conversation ultimately points teams toward collective accountability, where tasks are divided according to talent but ownership remains shared.
Topics explored in this episode:
(00:00) Divide The Work, Not The Team
Pat argues that “divide and conquer” should mean dividing tasks based on talent, not dividing the organization or accountability.
How teams work best when they share a single goal and draw on different talents to pursue it together.
(02:08) Why Every CEO Is Different
Pat explains that every CEO brings a different combination of personality, wiring, and Working Genius to the role.
Cody points out that people often ask for the best Working Genius type for a leader, but the real answer is self-awareness.
(06:43) Hiring Around Your Gaps
Pat explains that leaders should hire executives and team members who complement their natural strengths rather than duplicate them.
Cody and Pat discuss how titles like CEO, COO, and CMO can become too generic if they ignore the specific way each person contributes.
(11:26) Collective Accountability Over Silos
Pat says titles may be useful externally, but internally, teams should focus more on how people’s talents help the organization win together.
Pat emphasizes the difference between possessing genuine ability and knowing how to regulate that ability according to timing and context.
(16:09) How Environment Shapes Your Genius
Pat and Cody explore how the quality of the surrounding product, organization, or situation can affect whether someone appears successful in their genius.
They close by discussing how family, culture, education, comparison, and environment can shape a person's understanding of how strong they actually are in a particular genius.
This episode of The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni is brought to you by The Table Group: www.tablegroup.com. We teach leaders how to make work more effective and less dysfunctional. We also help their employees be more fulfilled and less miserable.
The Six Types of Working Genius model helps you discover your natural gifts and thrive in your work and life. When you’re able to better understand the types of work that bring you more energy and fulfillment and avoid work that leads to frustration and failure, you can be more self-aware, more productive, and more successful.
Pat shares how he escaped an unfulfilling internal audit role by proposing a creative employee morale initiative despite having no formal experience doing that kind of work.
Pat and Cody argue that natural strengths, passion, and a willingness to take risks can sometimes matter more than degrees, credentials, or years of technical experience.
(19:19) Hire for Genius, Not Just Experience
Pat and Cody explain how organizations can find overlooked talent by identifying the Working Geniuses a role actually requires instead of relying primarily on industry experience.
They discuss how Working Genius can be used during hiring to help candidates determine whether they will genuinely enjoy the work and help employers find people whose strengths fit the role.
This episode of The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni is brought to you by The Table Group: www.tablegroup.com. We teach leaders how to make work more effective and less dysfunctional. We also help their employees be more fulfilled and less miserable.
The Six Types of Working Genius model helps you discover your natural gifts and thrive in your work and life. When you’re able to better understand the types of work that bring you more energy and fulfillment and avoid work that leads to frustration and failure, you can be more self-aware, more productive, and more successful.
Cody reflects on his difficulty maintaining practices such as journaling and silence and considers how those challenges may relate to his natural Working Genius wiring.
Pat explains that accepting a natural preference can actually make it easier to engage other forms of prayer without resentment, guilt, or the feeling that prayer has become work.
(09:37) Prayer, Sacrifice, and Spiritual Growth
Cody compares praying outside one's natural wiring to fasting, suggesting that choosing something other than the path of least resistance can shape who a person becomes.
Pat distinguishes joyful sacrifice from reluctant obligation and closes by encouraging listeners to spend a few minutes praying either in their natural way or in a way that stretches them.
This episode of The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni is brought to you by The Table Group: www.tablegroup.com. We teach leaders how to make work more effective and less dysfunctional. We also help their employees be more fulfilled and less miserable.
The Six Types of Working Genius model helps you discover your natural gifts and thrive in your work and life. When you’re able to better understand the types of work that bring you more energy and fulfillment and avoid work that leads to frustration and failure, you can be more self-aware, more productive, and more successful.
Affirming a child’s genius creates the trust needed to guide them when they overuse a strength without making them feel ashamed of it.
(15:22) How a Parent’s Genius Shapes the Home
Parents can reduce guilt and judgment by recognizing how their own geniuses and frustrations influence the way they lead and respond to their children.
Sharing strengths and limitations with children teaches them that nobody is good at everything and frees them to pursue careers aligned with their own gifts.
This episode of The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni is brought to you by The Table Group: www.tablegroup.com. We teach leaders how to make work more effective and less dysfunctional. We also help their employees be more fulfilled and less miserable.
The Six Types of Working Genius model helps you discover your natural gifts and thrive in your work and life. When you’re able to better understand the types of work that bring you more energy and fulfillment and avoid work that leads to frustration and failure, you can be more self-aware, more productive, and more successful.
Cody and Pat discuss how shared genius types can create connection in friendships, marriages, and families while still producing potential blind spots.
(12:24) A New Way to Recover From Burnout
Cody explains that burnout often comes from the type of work a person is doing rather than simply the amount, making genius-aligned conversations a meaningful source of renewal.
Pat and Cody encourage people to find a Working Genius doppelganger, schedule a pressure-free “spa date,” and share what they discover from the experience.
This episode of The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni is brought to you by The Table Group: www.tablegroup.com. We teach leaders how to make work more effective and less dysfunctional. We also help their employees be more fulfilled and less miserable.
The Six Types of Working Genius model helps you discover your natural gifts and thrive in your work and life. When you’re able to better understand the types of work that bring you more energy and fulfillment and avoid work that leads to frustration and failure, you can be more self-aware, more productive, and more successful.
Pat, Laura, Cody, and Lindsay explore what couples should watch for when both spouses have disruptive geniuses.
The conversation highlights how couples can outsource missing geniuses or borrow help from friends and family members with different strengths.
(24:12) Compassion, Parenting, And Final Encouragement
Pat explains that geniuses do not change over time, but people may finally learn to recognize and appreciate them.
Laura and Lindsay encourage couples to examine preconceived roles, appreciate each other’s gifts, and let Working Genius bring freedom into daily family life.
This episode of The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni is brought to you by The Table Group: www.tablegroup.com. We teach leaders how to make work more effective and less dysfunctional. We also help their employees be more fulfilled and less miserable.
The Six Types of Working Genius model helps you discover your natural gifts and thrive in your work and life. When you’re able to better understand the types of work that bring you more energy and fulfillment and avoid work that leads to frustration and failure, you can be more self-aware, more productive, and more successful.
Patrick explains that Working Genius does not need to feel like pigeonholing because employees often want to be understood and placed in the right role.
Managers can deepen trust by sharing their own Working Genius results and inviting employees to reflect on how those geniuses and frustrations show up in the manager’s leadership.
(15:03) Brainstorm Adjustments and Keep the Conversation Going
Patrick encourages managers and employees to brainstorm how the employee can lean more into their geniuses and reduce unnecessary frustration.
Cody and Patrick emphasize the importance of follow-up conversations so Working Genius becomes an ongoing vocabulary for teamwork rather than a one-time assessment.
This episode of The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni is brought to you by The Table Group: www.tablegroup.com. We teach leaders how to make work more effective and less dysfunctional. We also help their employees be more fulfilled and less miserable.
The Six Types of Working Genius model helps you discover your natural gifts and thrive in your work and life. When you’re able to better understand the types of work that bring you more energy and fulfillment and avoid work that leads to frustration and failure, you can be more self-aware, more productive, and more successful.
Take the assessment today to discover your natural gifts and thrive at work: https://workinggenius.me/about
Subscribe for more content from Patrick Lencioni @PatrickLencioniOfficial
Be sure to check out our other podcast, At The Table with Patrick Lencioni, on Apple Podcasts (https://tablegroup.me/apple), Spotify (https://tablegroup.me/sptfy), and YouTube (https://tablegroup.me/youtube).
Let us know your feedback via podcast@tablegroup.com.
Pat uses a basketball analogy to show how being forced into an unwanted role can make someone reject even small, necessary parts of that role later.
(12:01) Finding Moderation and Honoring Gifts
Cody notes that every job involves all six types of work, which means people will still need to do some tasks that fall outside their genius.
Pat closes by encouraging listeners not to feel guilty for doing what comes naturally and to find moderation rather than overcorrecting.
This episode of The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni is brought to you by The Table Group: www.tablegroup.com. We teach leaders how to make work more effective and less dysfunctional. We also help their employees be more fulfilled and less miserable.
Register for “Why Your Spouse Acts That Way” here: workinggenius.com/marriage
The Six Types of Working Genius model helps you discover your natural gifts and thrive in your work and life. When you’re able to better understand the types of work that bring you more energy and fulfillment and avoid work that leads to frustration and failure, you can be more self-aware, more productive, and more successful.
Cody connects this idea to team number one, explaining that Working Genius helps executive teams move beyond self-protection and into shared responsibility.
This episode of The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni is brought to you by The Table Group: https://www.tablegroup.com. We teach leaders how to make work more effective and less dysfunctional. We also help their employees be more fulfilled and less miserable.
Register for “Why Your Spouse Acts That Way” here: workinggenius.com/marriage
The Six Types of Working Genius model helps you discover your natural gifts and thrive in your work and life. When you’re able to better understand the types of work that bring you more energy and fulfillment and avoid work that leads to frustration and failure, you can be more self-aware, more productive, and more successful.
