Working Energy
As I’ve learned more about the Six Types of Working Genius framework, I’ve begun to understand myself (and how I operate) much better.
This is the Working Genius in a nutshell:
There are SIX basic types of work.
TWO are your Working Geniuses - the type of work that energizes you.
TWO are your Working Frustrations - the type of work that drains you.
TWO are your Working Competencies - things you can do for a while but won’t energize you.
The Working Genius is all about ranking, not rating.
My geniuses are Wonder & Enablement.
Wonder is the one always asking the big questions. Is this as good as it could be? What are we missing? Enablement is the one that loves to jump in and help a person or an idea get moving.
That doesn’t mean I’m the best at these skills.
It just means that these are the types of work that excite me when I get to work within them.
What the Working Genius has taught me about myself.
My biggest Working Frustration is Tenacity. This is all about being relentless in getting things across the finish line. Crossing the T’s and dotting the I’s. It’s not that I’m bad at or incapable of this type of work, it’s that it drains me.
I’ve been in a season of having to do a bunch of tenacity type work. Lots of spreadsheets and organization and coordination and double checking and triple checking and on and on.
I've walked out of the office those days wiped out.
Even when I’m not particularly tired.
That’s the thing about work. Just because something is in my working frustration doesn’t mean I get to punt it. “All jobs are six letter jobs” is often said in Working Genius circles. This means we all have to do things that don’t particularly bring us joy every now and then.
The gift of knowing my geniuses and frustrations
The more we understand ourselves and what fills our cup, the better we can navigate the energy we bring to our work. We can maximize our geniuses, minimize our weaknesses, and manage our competencies.
In other words, in seasons knee deep in tenacity, I can know why I’m struggling without being overcome by guilt or shame.
The Working Genius has also given me the tools to know how to fill my tank when I need it. By spending time leaning into my geniuses of Wonder and Enablement.
I still have to do the draining work.
I just don’t have to run on empty while I do it.