The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni

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 sa...

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 conversat...

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...

Why is it so hard for you to ask for help with the things that frustrate you? In episode 113 of the Working Genius Podcast, Patrick Lencioni and Cody Thompson unpack why asking for help is one of the most practical and freeing applications of Working Genius. They explain how people often assume the work they hate must be miserable for everyone else, when in reality it may be exactly the kind of wo...

Why do traditional “fun at work” solutions often fall short? In episode 112 of the Working Genius Podcast, Patrick Lencioni, Cody Thompson, and Matthew Lencioni discuss the idea of fun at work, arguing that real enjoyment comes from operating within your Working Genius rather than relying on perks or surface-level incentives. Pat and Cody explore how different people experience the same activity i...

How is a lack of self-awareness quietly limiting your effectiveness? Blind spots aren’t just personal quirks; they’re often the root of frustration, conflict, and stalled growth. In episode 111 of the Working Genius Podcast, Patrick Lencioni, Cody Thompson, and Matthew Lencioni explore how the Working Genius framework can expose what you can’t see about yourself. By increasing self-awareness and i...

What does your Working Genius look like when you're under stress, and would you even recognize it in yourself? In episode 110 of the Working Genius Podcast, Pat Lencioni, Cody Thompson, and Matt Lencioni explore what happens to each of the six Working Genius types when they're under stress, a state they call being "in the grip." Walking through Wonder, Invention, Discernment, Galvanizing, Enableme...

How can you tell which Working Genius pairing defines the company where you work? In episode 109 of the Working Genius Podcast, Patrick Lencioni and Cody Thompson explore whether organizations have a dominant Working Genius pairing just like individuals do. Joined by Matthew Lencioni, they test the idea against well known brands and unpack how culture, customer experience, and leadership all point...

Why do people often react defensively when receiving criticism? In episode 108 of the Working Genius Podcast, Patrick Lencioni and Cody Thompson examine the crucial difference between criticism and constructive feedback. They explain how understanding someone’s Working Genius helps leaders frame feedback to acknowledge strengths while encouraging adjustments when necessary. By leading with appreci...

How does the distance between your strengths affect your stress at work? In episode 107 of the Working Genius Podcast, Patrick Lencioni and Cody Thompson take a deeper look at what happens when your working geniuses are far apart. While every genius pairing brings value, certain combinations create unique stress that can leave people feeling misunderstood or frustrated. Topics explored in this epi...

What would change if you stopped trying to fix what isn’t broken? In episode 106 of the Working Genius Podcast, Patrick Lencioni and Cody Thompson unpack how shame often forms around working frustrations that were never meant to define a person’s value or capability. They explain how misunderstanding your wiring can lead to burnout, striving, and the belief that something is wrong with you. By ref...

How can pairing geniuses enhance the customer service experience? In episode 105 of the Working Genius Podcast, Pat and Cody dive deep into the world of customer service roles and enablement. They explore how unique combinations of working geniuses, such as enablement paired with discernment or tenacity, can enhance customer interactions and improve service outcomes. By aligning strengths with job...

How can you use the Working Genius framework to reframe your traditional New Year’s resolutions so that they don’t lead to frustration or shame? In episode 104 of the Working Genius Podcast, Patrick Lencioni and Cody Thompson introduce the idea of a “New Year’s evolution” instead of a New Year’s resolution. They explain why resolutions built on shame and weakness tend to fail and how understanding...

Are Working Genius pairings linked with Ideal Team Player virtues? In episode 103 of the Working Genius Podcast, Pat and Cody explore why Working Genius types cannot and should not be used to predict the three Ideal Team Player virtues (humble, hungry, and smart). They walk through tempting—but ultimately inaccurate—assumptions people often make when connecting specific geniuses to humility, hunge...

Is there a correlation between a person’s Working Genius (WG) pairings and their emotional intelligence (EQ)? Also, how can you use your Working Genius results to strengthen your emotional intelligence? In episode 102 of the Working Genius Podcast, Pat and Cody explore how Working Genius and emotional intelligence intersect, and where they don’t. They explain that while no Working Genius type pred...

How might a layoff create space for you to pursue work that energizes you rather than drains you? In episode 101 of the Working Genius Podcast, Pat and Cody explore why layoffs—while often painful—can become pivotal moments of clarity and reinvention. They also explain how the Working Genius framework provides a roadmap for choosing future roles that offer joy, energy, and long-term career sustain...

What happens when we misunderstand or mistype someone’s Working Genius? Also, what changes when we finally understand the true genius behind someone’s behavior? In episode 100 of the Working Genius Podcast, Pat and Cody explore why an incorrectly identified Working Genius can create frustration, friction, and confusion among teammates. They also dive into factors that often lead to mistyping, and...

How does being an Inventor-Discerner shape your leadership style when guiding a team? In episode 99 of the Working Genius Podcast, In this episode, Pat Lencioni and Cody Thompson welcome master facilitator Claire Laughlin to unpack the unique strengths and quirks of the Inventor-Discerner (ID) pairing. Together, they explore how people with this Working Genius pairing constantly generate, refine,...

How can you genuinely honor someone's working frustrations, beyond just being aware of them? In episode 98 of the Working Genius Podcast, Patrick and Cody explore the idea of honoring working frustrations—the tasks that drain energy, even when you’re good at them. Using team member Tracy Noble as a case study, they discuss how competence without joy leads to burnout and how leaders can reorganize...

How does your work or home environment shape the way you see your Working Genius? Episode 97 of the Working Genius Podcast explores how environment and culture can dramatically influence how people view their own talents. Patrick Lencioni, Cody Thompson, and Matt Lencioni share personal stories and client examples where individuals misunderstood their results because of the strong pull of their su...

How can understanding your strengths and weaknesses through the Working Genius model lead to true confidence? Confidence isn’t about pretending to be great at everything—it’s about knowing and accepting the truth about yourself. In episode 96 of the Working Genius Podcast, Patrick and Cody explain how the Working Genius framework provides a foundation for authentic confidence rooted in both streng...

What creative analogies can you use to help understand your joy and frustration at work? In episode 95 of the Working Genius Podcast, Patrick and Cody revisit one of their earliest metaphors for the Six Types of Working Genius model: the coffee cup analogy. They explore how it explains joy, competency, and frustration in work—and why new analogies like batteries, bikes, and even shoes can add nuan...

How can the Working Genius model prevent decision-making confusion? In episode 94 of the Working Genius Podcast, Pat, Cody, and guest Krista Kotrla unpack the concept of “crossing the decision line,” exploring how leaders can move from healthy conflict to clear commitments, avoiding the trap of endless discernment and re-decision. Through practical tools like end-of-meeting discipline, clarity ove...

What makes galvanizing more disruptive than other Working Geniuses? In episode 93 of the Working Genius Podcast, Pat and Cody explore why galvanizing is the most disruptive of all the Working Geniuses. They unpack the nature of galvanizing as the only Genius that necessarily involves moving others, making it uniquely powerful—and often misunderstood. Through stories and reflection, they highlight...

Are you unintentionally discouraging others by calling something “easy”? In episode 92 of the Working Genius Podcast, Pat and Cody explore the pitfalls of assuming that what’s easy and fun for you will be the same for others. They explore how working within your genius can make tasks feel effortless and how this can mislead us when advising or leading others. This episode is a reminder to value yo...