From Wonder to Tenacity: Leading Change Through the Lens of Working Genius
There’s no shortage of frameworks trying to decode how people work best. Some are built for teams, some for leadership, some for self-awareness. But every once in a while, a model comes along that’s both simple and strikingly useful—especially if you work in change management. That’s how I felt the first time I was introduced to the Working Genius model.
If you’re not familiar, the Working Genius framework, created by Patrick Lencioni and The Table Group, identifies six types of “working geniuses”: Wonder, Discernment, Galvanizing, Enablement, Invention, and Tenacity. Each person has two areas where they thrive (their Geniuses), two that are satisfying but not energizing (their Competency), and two that are draining (their Frustration). It’s designed to help teams get more done, more effectively, by understanding how people contribute best.
But here’s where it gets especially relevant: change management lives and dies by how well we navigate complexity, align people, and move work forward. That means knowing how you approach change isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s critical.
And if you understand your Working Genius, you can start to see not just where you thrive in the change process, but where you may unintentionally stall it.
Let’s break it down.
Why Change Management Needs All Six Types
The Working Genius Model
Change doesn’t happen in one moment. It happens in phases. In a simplified version, we might say:
Someone recognizes a need for change (Wonder).
Someone identifies what should be different (Invention).
Someone evaluates if the idea is any good (Discernment).
Someone rallies people around it (Galvanizing).
Someone helps others get involved (Enablement).
Someone ensures it actually gets done (Tenacity).
The challenge? Most leaders are naturally wired for only two of those. That means even the most visionary, thoughtful, or driven leaders have blind spots in how they lead change. If you don’t know yours, you may inadvertently skip steps, frustrate your team, or burn yourself out trying to do it all.
What Each Genius Looks Like in Change Leadership
Let’s say you’ve taken the Working Genius assessment. You know your two Geniuses. Great. Now what? Here’s how each Genius might show up when you’re leading change, and the pitfalls to watch out for.
Wonder: The Big Picture Thinker
Pro tip:
Partner with someone with Invention or Galvanizing to move your insights into action. Set a recurring “scan and sense” time on your calendar so your gift doesn’t get buried under execution demands.
You’re constantly scanning the horizon, asking, “Is this really working?” You notice dissatisfaction before others do. You’re good at sensing when something feels off and wondering if things should be different.
Your strength: Identifying the need for change before it escalates into a crisis.
Your blind spot: You may struggle to articulate what needs to be done next, or get stuck waiting for the perfect answer.
Invention: The Idea Generator
Pro tip:
Use Discernment colleagues to pressure-test your ideas. Ask AI to generate counterarguments or questions that might poke holes in your model before you pitch it.
You love starting with a blank slate. You’re energized by possibility and new models. You don’t want to tweak the current process; you want to design a better one from scratch.
Your strength: Proposing bold solutions.
Your blind spot: You may ignore constraints or fail to validate whether the idea is workable.
Discernment: The Integrator
Pro tip:
Don’t wait until someone else brings you a plan. Make space in your calendar to proactively weigh in. When you give feedback, be clear whether you’re offering refinement or a red light.
You’re the gut check. You know how to read the room, the moment, the landscape. You’re able to sense whether something will land well—or fall flat.
Your strength: Evaluating whether a proposed change will actually work.
Your blind spot: You may default to “no” or hesitate too long, especially when the risk feels high.
Galvanizing: The Rallying Cry
Pro tip:
Slow down just enough to check if the idea is ready for prime time. If you’re partnering with Wonder or Invention types, agree in advance when it’s okay to go public with the idea.
You love getting people excited. You’re the one sending the “let’s do this” email. You know how to generate momentum and get people on board.
Your strength: Mobilizing a team to act.
Your blind spot: You may jump in too early, trying to rally people before the idea is fully formed.
Enablement: The Trusted Support
Pro tip:
Clarify your boundaries up front. Ask clarifying questions before committing. Practice saying, “Yes, if…” to make your support sustainable.
You’re the “how can I help?” person. You show up. You translate vision into action by giving others what they need to move forward.
Your strength: Creating support systems and structures for others to maintain momentum.
Your blind spot: You may agree to things you shouldn’t or say yes before clarifying expectations
Tenacity: The Closer
Pro tip:
Take time to step back and ask, “Are we still moving in the right direction?” Don’t let the to-do list replace the big picture.
You get it done. You’re the one updating the tracker, sending the follow-up email, and making sure no one forgets about the plan three months in.
Your strength: Driving projects to completion.
Your blind spot: You may focus too narrowly on checking boxes and miss the relational or strategic shifts that matter most in change.
Using Working Genius for Team-Based Change
The real power of Working Genius shows up in teams. If you’re managing a change initiative, map your team’s types.
Do you have a surplus of Invention but no Enablement?
Are you Galvanizing without Discernment?
Is Tenacity missing entirely?
We’ve seen teams spend months spinning their wheels, not because they had the wrong strategy, but because they were missing one voice in the process. Once they added a Discernment thinker, things clicked into place. Or, once they assigned a leader to work in one of their Geniuses instead of one of their Frustrations, things got done faster and with less friction.
Practical Ways to Apply This in Change Management Work
Bring it Into the Room
Too often, we do the internal work—take the assessment, read the report, maybe even talk about it once in a team retreat—and then quietly file it away. But Working Genius isn’t meant to live in a Google Drive folder. It’s meant to show up in your daily rhythms. Here are some ways we’ve seen Working Genius play out in the real world:
When you assign projects, start naming the kind of Genius needed for different phases. It shifts the tone from “who has capacity” to “who’s best positioned to move this forward.”
In coaching or one-on-ones, use it to decode tension. If someone feels stuck or frustrated, look at whether they’re being asked to work in their Genius—or in someone else’s.
For teams, reflect openly: Where are we leaning too hard on a few types of Genius? What patterns are we seeing when we stall out?
Just asking these questions aloud begins to normalize that success isn’t about doing it all. It’s about doing what you do best—and designing for what you don’t.
Use it to Decode Resistance
Change resistance isn’t always about attitude. Sometimes, it’s about role fit.
We’ve seen it firsthand. A leader known for their Galvanizing Genius is asked to “carry the plan” for a multi-year implementation, but no one notices that Tenacity is their lowest type. They’re not resisting, they’re drowning. Or someone with Wonder and Discernment is in a culture that prizes speed and quick wins. They’re not disengaged, they’re misaligned.
Once you see it, you can do something about it.
Shift how you frame roles during change initiatives. Who’s best at helping imagine what’s possible? Who’s going to help test, adapt, and finish?
Stop using one-size-fits-all change strategies. Instead of saying “we need more buy-in,” ask “do we need to speak to someone’s Genius more directly?”
Don’t just use Working Genius to identify individual strengths. Use it to identify where your change process is unintentionally creating friction.
The goal isn’t to avoid discomfort. It’s to understand it. And respond with more nuance.
You’re Not Bad at Change. You’re Just Not Designed to Lead Every Part
That’s the biggest mindset shift. When we tell leaders that they need to “own the change,” we don’t mean do it all. We mean know yourself. Know what part of the work gives you energy, and what parts require more support or structure around you.
This is where real confidence comes from. When a leader knows their Working Genius, they stop trying to imitate someone else’s style. They stop beating themselves up for needing more time to think, or for wanting to move fast. They build a team that can balance and complement—not replicate—their approach.
So before you launch your next big initiative, take a step back. Learn your Working Genius. Share it with your team. Ask for theirs. Start noticing when you feel friction and when you feel flow.
Because the best change strategies aren’t just about process. They’re about people. And that starts with understanding yourself.
Ready to Put Your Genius to Work?
If you’re ready to go deeper with Working Genius—beyond the assessment and into meaningful application—we can help. Whether it’s one-on-one coaching to explore your individual results or a team session to map strengths, gaps, and dynamics, we specialize in turning insights into action. We also bring this lens into our change management work, helping leaders design strategies that honor how people naturally show up during times of transition.
If you’re curious how this could work for you or your team, let’s talk. Reach out, and we’ll share more about our approach, our tools, and how we can help you build a stronger foundation for change.
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