Why is it dangerous to "fake it till you make it" when it comes to your Working Genius?

In episode 85 of the Working Genius Podcast, Pat and Cody explore the pitfalls of "faking it till you make it," particularly in the context of the six Working Geniuses. They discuss how pretending to possess certain geniuses—especially Galvanizing, Enabling, and Tenacity—can lead to burnout and dissatisfaction, even if it seems successful in the short term. They also emphasize the importance of aligning work with your natural geniuses for long-term fulfillment and success.

Topics explored in this episode:

(00:51) Faking It Undermines Team Trust

* Faking a role outside your genius may temporarily fool others but drains energy and joy.

(3:48) When Observation Misleads

* People often mistake visible productivity for true capability and fulfillment.

* Internal processes like Discerning or Inventing can't be copied just by watching someone do the work.

(7:36) Success in the Wrong Game

* Achieving mastery in an area outside your genius often leads to burnout, not true fulfillment.

* Mimicking Tenacity or Enablement might bring professional praise but leaves people feeling empty.

(11:24) Misalignment at Work

* Many early career roles overvalue G.E.T. work, unintentionally alienating people with W.I.D. geniuses.

* Discovering the Working Genius framework helps reframe these challenges as fixable, not personal flaws.

(15:12) The Cost of Faking It

* People often carry unnecessary guilt when they struggle in roles that don't match their genius.

* Leaders can free people from burnout by helping them realign with their natural gifts.

A note for new listeners/viewers: In this episode, Pat and Cody dive deep into the Six Types of Working Genius, a model that helps you discover your natural gifts and thrive in your work and life. If you’re new to our framework, perhaps consider checking out some earlier episodes of The Working Genius Podcast. Or, if you’re interested, you can take The Six Types of Working Genius assessment, which is the fastest and simplest way to discover your natural gifts and thrive at work: https://www.workinggenius.com/about/assessment

Refresher: The initials discussed in this episode refer to:

W = Wonder.

I = Invention.

D = Discernment.

G = Galvanizing.

E = Enablement.

T = Tenacity.

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.

Subscribe to The Working Genius Podcast on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/4iNz6Yn), Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4iGGm8u), and YouTube (https://bit.ly/Working-Genius-YouTube).

Follow Pat Lencioni on https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-lencioni-orghealth/ and http://www.youtube.com/@PatrickLencioniOfficial.

Connect with Cody Thompson on

How does humility enhance the application of your Working Geniuses in both personal and professional settings?

Humility is the secret ingredient that elevates teamwork, leadership, and productivity. In this episode, Patrick Lencioni and Cody Thompson explore how humility acts as a booster within the Working Genius framework. They also discuss why embracing humility allows you to work more effectively within your strengths while also building stronger, more cohesive teams.

Topics explored in this episode:

(03:03) What is Humility?

*Humility enhances an individual’s ability to utilize their natural talents.

(11:05) Why Humility Matters

*Leaders who embrace humility build stronger, more resilient teams.

(15:48) Humility as a Booster

*How humility acts as an accelerant to strengths and gifts—even outside your genius zone.

(21:01) Team Collaboration

*Teams with humility communicate more openly and work through challenges effectively.

(22:30) Recognizing the Absence of Humility

*A lack of humility leads to dysfunction and conflict within teams.

(24:06) Cultivating Humility

*Why most people welcome the awareness of their weaknesses—and how to embrace that mindset.

This episode of The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni is brought to you by The Table Group. 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. The Six Types of Working Genius assessment is the fastest and simplest way to discover your natural gifts and thrive at work.

Subscribe to The Working Genius Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Follow Pat Lencioni on LinkedIn and YouTube.

Connect with Cody Thompson on LinkedIn.

Be sure to check out our other podcast, At The Table with Patrick Lencioni, on Apple Podcasts, Spotfy, and YouTube.

Let us know your feedback via podcast@tablegroup.com.

This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co/

We're taking a break from uploading new episodes this fall, but we're looking forward to a return in 2025. Thank you to all of our listeners!

To take the Six Types of Working Genius Assessment: https://www.workinggenius.com/

Check out the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team Assessment: https://tinyurl.com/ttgteamassessment

To become a Working Genius Certified Facilitator: https://www.workinggenius.com/client/certification/

What makes Discernment unique, and why is it often so difficult to accurately place within our results? This week, Pat, Cody and Beau discuss the perceived implications behind having - or not having - Discernment as a Working Genius.

To listen to the At the Table Podcast: tinyurl.com/atthetablepodcast

At work, we can't always use our Geniuses as much as we'd like. This week, Pat, Cody, Beau and Matt discuss how we can find ways to exercise our Geniuses while we're off the clock.

To listen to the At the Table Podcast: tinyurl.com/atthetablepodcast

Working Genius Store: https://www.workinggenius.com/store

What is your third letter? This week, the team discusses the impact that your first Working Competency has on the way you use your Geniuses.

To listen to the At the Table Podcast: tinyurl.com/atthetablepodcast

Working Genius Store: https://www.workinggenius.com/store

What is the best way to tap into each Genius? This week, the team goes over the questions we can ask and the high-impact phrases we can use to successfully engage and activate each Working Genius type.

Collaborating with Each Genius Handout: https://tinyurl.com/wgcollaborationresource

Working Genius Certification Program: https://workinggenius.me/certpodcast23

To listen to the At the Table Podcast: tinyurl.com/atthetablepodcast

Episode originally aired March 4th, 2022.

Buckle up! This week, the Working Genius team reveals all of the pairings in our longest episode yet.