The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni

Feedback vs. Criticism

10 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why do people often react defensively when receiving criticism?In episode 108 of the Working Genius Podcast, Patrick Lencioni and Cody Thompson examin...

107. Distance Between Geniuses

24 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

How does the distance between your strengths affect your stress at work?In episode 107 of the Working Genius Podcast, Patrick Lencioni and Cody Thomps...

106. No Shame in That

10 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 un...

105. Enablement and Customer Service

27 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 o...

104. New Year's Evolution

13 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

103. Working Genius vs. the Ideal Team Player

30 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are Working Genius pairings linked with Ideal Team Player virtues? In episode 103 of the Working Genius Podcast, Pat and Cody explore why Working Geni...

102. Working Genius and Emotional Intelligence

16 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is there a correlation between a person’s Working Genius (WG) pairings and their emotional intelligence (EQ)? Also, how can you use your Working Gen...

101. Silver Linings After Layoffs

02 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

100. Square Peg Round Hole

18 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when we misunderstand or mistype someone’s Working Genius? Also, what changes when we finally understand the true genius behind someone...

99. The ID Pairing with Claire Laughlin

04 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

98. Honoring Working Frustrations

21 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 C...

97. The Impact of Your Environment

07 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

96. The Key to Confidence

23 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How can understanding your strengths and weaknesses through the Working Genius model lead to true confidence?Confidence isn’t about pretending to be...

95. Beyond the Coffee Cups

09 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

94. The Decision Line with Krista Kotrla

26 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How can the Working Genius model prevent decision-making confusion?In episode 94 of the Working Genius Podcast, Pat, Cody, and guest Krista Kotrla unp...

93. Galvanizing is the Most Disruptive Genius

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What makes galvanizing more disruptive than other Working Geniuses?In episode 93 of the Working Genius Podcast, Pat and Cody explore why galvanizing i...

92. Easy For You to Say

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are you unintentionally discouraging others by calling something “easy”?In episode 92 of the Working Genius Podcast, Pat and Cody explore the pitf...

91. It's an E Thing

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What makes the Genius of Enablement (“E”) such a crucial part of team implementation?Episode 91 of the Working Genius Podcast dives into the Enabl...

90. Uppercase vs. Lowercase Genius

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How can recognizing the “lowercase” application of your Working Genius improve your contributions to projects and increase your job fulfillment?In...

89. Understanding vs. Judging: Averting the Fundamental Attribution Error

17 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How often do you assume someone’s behavior is a flaw in their character instead of a feature of their genius?In episode 89 of the Working Genius Pod...

88. MBTI Is the Noun, Working Genius Is the Verb

03 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How can your understanding of Myers-Briggs add to your Working Genius? In episode 88 of the Working Genius Podcast, Pat and Cody dive into the re...

87. “Quit Your Job” and Start Living Your Genius

20 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How can understanding and embracing your Working Genius help you redefine your concept of “work” and “retirement”?In episode 87 of the Working...

86. Preemptive Vulnerability: Turning Your Quirks into Connection

06 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does “preemptive vulnerability” mean, why is it essential in leadership, and how can it build trust within a team?In episode 86 of the Workin...

85. Don’t Fake It Till You Make It: Why Honesty Beats Pretending

22 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 explo...

84. Humility is the Booster

08 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How does humility enhance the application of your Working Geniuses in both personal and professional settings?Humility is the secret ingredient that e...

Fall 2024 Announcement

02 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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!&nb...

83. The Discernment Dilemma

19 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 pe...

82. Off the Clock

04 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 Gen...

81. What's Your Third?

21 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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.     ...

80. Questions that Activate Each Genius

09 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 succe...

July Rerun: All the Pairings... Finally

25 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Episode originally aired March 4th, 2022.   Buckle up!  This week, the Working Genius team reveals all of the pairings in our longest episode yet. ...

July Rerun: Make Your Conversations More Productive

12 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week's rerun originally aired on January 21, 2022   We've talked about the altitude of each Genius, the 3 stages of work, regulating your Genius...

79. Working Genius Atrophy

26 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you aren't regularly utilizing your Working Geniuses, you won't be able to take full advantage of your strengths.  This week, Pat and the team dis...

78. Team Map Magic

15 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's a productivity tool, not just a personality assessment.  This week, Pat and the team dissect a team map and describe how it can be used to make ...

77. Working Genius for Students

30 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Young people and students are no strangers to feeling overwhelmed, misunderstood, and anxious.  This week, Pat and the team speak directly to student...

76. The Things We Say

15 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Three years of using the Working Genius model to explain, analyze, and even anticipate behavior has led us to some interesting observations.  This we...

75. More Disruptive Than We Thought

03 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What additional insights can you gather from being a W, D, or E vs. an I, G, or T?  This week, Pat, Cody, Tracy and Beau discuss just how impactful i...

74. Prophet in Your Own Backyard

17 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Nobody wants to have to advocate for or defend the legitimacy and value of their own Geniuses.  This week, Pat and the team discuss some things that ...

73. Team-Based Staffing

03 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When hiring a new employee, it's important to make sure the candidate is a culture fit and that they have the necessary skills and experience for the ...

72. Partnerships and Dirty Work

20 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In a marriage, a project team, or any other sort of partnership that consists of only two people, someone is going to be taking on dirty work.  This ...

71. Nail Your Next Job Interview

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Use the Working Genius model to nail your next job interview and land the job you really want.  This week, Pat, Cody, Tracy and Beau discuss authenti...

70. Genius in a Box

23 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Working Genius model should never limit someone within a role.  This week, Pat is joined by Cody, Tracy and Laura as they discuss the idea of bei...

69. Substitute Galvanizing

07 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What can you do if nobody on your team has a certain disruptive Genius?  This week, the team discusses the difference between behavioral and structur...

68. Grumpiness

24 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On a large scale, working in your frustrations can lead to dissatisfaction and burnout.  But how does it affect us in the moment?  This week, Pat an...

67. Too Much of a Good Thing

17 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is there such a thing as spending too much time in your sweet spot?  This week, as promised, Pat and the team debate the merits of hypothetically doi...

66. The Results Are In

20 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The results are in!  This week, the team provides some new data from the Working Genius Assessment, and looks back on how the Six Types of Working Ge...

65. The Mystery of Tenacity

07 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's close to the ground, it's disruptive, and it's the last of the Six Types.  This week, the podcast team brings in some help as we finally explore...

64. The Depth of Galvanizing

21 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the team talks about the Genius of Galvanizing, and the depth associated with it that we might not always recognize.  We'll finally land t...

63. Your First Hire

08 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Every entrepreneur, leader and manager needs to be intentional about who they bring on to their team.  This week, Pat, Tracy, Cody and Beau discuss t...

62. Mercy and Forgiveness

25 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Yes, the Working Genius assessment is a productivity tool, and it serves to reduce guilt and judgment among individuals and teams.  This week, Pat, B...

61. Advertise Your Frustrations

13 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Yes, it's important to know what your Working Frustrations are, but how well have you communicated them with your team?  This week, Pat and the team ...

60. Your Leader's Genius

28 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There is one person on every team whose Geniuses have a particularly large impact.  This week, Pat and the team discuss the potential affects that a ...

59. Working Genius Scramble

13 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If a project has moved past your Geniuses or hasn't reached them yet, how can you productively contribute?  This week, Pat and the team explain how e...

58. Who's on First?

31 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What's the difference between a DT and a TD?  Well... not much.  This week, Pat and the team discuss the potential impact that the order of our Work...

57. Teaching to Your Genius

16 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Not all teachers are alike.  This week, Pat and the team discuss how different Genius pairings might approach the task of teaching others.     To ...

56. The Genius of Patience

02 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Don't just do something, stand there.  This week, Pat, Cody, Beau and Tracy discuss the importance of patience as it relates to how we use our Genius...

55. Activity Dissection

19 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If only there was a way to analyze different types of people in a consistent, contained, high-pressure environment where they have to work through pro...

54. Introverts, Extraverts and the Working Genius

05 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What connections can be drawn between the Working Genius and the MBTI?  This week, the team talks about introversion and extraversion, and how they i...

53. The Wonder of Wonder

14 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Which of the Six Types is the least common, but perhaps the most commonly misunderstood?  This week, the whole Working Genius team does a deep dive i...

52. Jobs, Careers and Hiring Q&A

24 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do I use the Working Genius model to find a job or make a good hire?  This week on the podcast, Pat, Beau, Julie and Matt answer more of your que...

51. Upstream vs Downstream

18 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There's a clear difference between W, I, D and G, E, T.  This week, Pat, Cody, Tracy and Beau discuss a new way to look at the Working Genius model. ...

50. Working With IDs

03 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pat's Working Geniuses are Invention and Discernment, so he is otherwise known as a Discriminating Ideator.  This week, Beau and Tracy share with him...

49. In Case of Emergency

19 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do our Geniuses come out when we are under stress?  This week, the team revisits the importance of regulating our Geniuses, but this time on a pe...

48. The Genius of Self-Awareness

05 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What is the best Working Genius type?  This week, the team talks about self-awareness and humility.     See Pat 'At the Whiteboard' for a free liv...

47. Demystifying Invention

22 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Genius of Invention is not nearly as complicated as the Genius that precedes it, but it can still be difficult to fully understand.  This week, P...

46. Don't Master Your Frustrations

08 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Don't master your frustrations.  This week, the team talks about the trap of spending time outside of your Geniuses, and why simply becoming proficie...

45. Best Job Worst Job

22 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What types of roles might be well-suited for each Genius pairing?  This week, the team talks about what they would do if they had to take a different...

44. You Deserve the Right Job

10 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You deserve the right job.  This week, Pat, Beau and Tracy discuss why taking the wrong job is almost always a recipe for disaster and how important ...

43. Guilt Around our Frustrations

25 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How can we stop ourselves from feeling bad about the things we aren't naturally gifted at?  This week, Pat, Beau and Matt discuss the different types...

42. The Limits of Working Genius

11 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone has Working Geniuses, Competencies and Frustrations, but these are not the only measures that describe us as people.  This week, Pat, Cody a...

41. Old Year New Year

21 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Since this is the last episode of the year, Pat, Cody, Tracy and Beau reflect on how far the Six Types of Working Genius has come in 2022.  Then, the...

40. Responsive vs. Disruptive Leadership

07 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The best type of leader is always a self-aware one, however that doesn't mean certain Working Geniuses aren't sometimes better suited for specific org...

39. Working Genius and the Holidays

18 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The holidays can be frustrating, and planning for them is work.  This week, Pat, Cody, Tracy and Beau discuss how the Working Genius model can be use...

38. What Each Genius Craves

21 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Each of the Six Types craves something different from others.  This week, Pat, Cody, Beau and Tracy identify the one thing that each Genius type need...

37. Make it Stick

07 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What is the best way to embed the Working Genius into an organization's culture once the initial excitement wears off?  This week, Pat, Beau and Trac...

36. Beers With the Author

21 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Six Types of Working Genius Book is nearly out!  This week on the Working Genius podcast, Beau sits down with Pat to pick his brain about his exp...

35. Every Pairing Has a Rough Edge

24 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Every single Working Genius pairing is uniquely gifted.  However, each one also has its own unique challenges.  This week, the Working Genius team t...

34. Slow to Judge and Quick to Understand

12 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As people, we are often quick to judge and slow to understand.  This week, the team discusses the fundamental attribution error and lays the foundati...

33. WIDGET Your Progress

13 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When carrying out a project, how do you evaluate progress?  This week, Pat, Cody and Tracy discuss how the Working Genius model not only provides an ...

32. Non-Working Genius

24 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Despite its name, the Six Types of Working Genius model is extremely applicable outside of work, and even on vacation.  In this episode, Pat, Cody an...

31. Six for Six

08 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For any project, all 6 Types of Working Genius are necessary, so what does it look like when a team is underrepresented in a certain area?  This week...

30. Why we Devalue our Geniuses

11 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For some reason, many of us tend to view other peoples' Working Geniuses as more important or more impressive than our own.  This week, the team talk...

29. Signs of Team Success

29 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

So the members of your team have taken the assessment... how do you then measure its impact?  This week, Pat, Cody and Tracy discuss what success loo...

28. Person on the Street: Chris Stefanick

15 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the team sits down with a good friend who happens to be one of Pat's favorite 'creative dreamers'.  Tune in to hear how Chris' Wonder and ...

27. Don't Should on Yourself

01 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We all tell ourselves that we should be better at certain aspects of our work or in certain areas of our life.  However, if we aren't naturally incli...

26. Elevator Pitch

18 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Six Types of Working Genius is a strikingly simple model, yet there is an almost overwhelming amount of depth in its application.  So where's the...

25. ALL the Pairings... Finally

04 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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

24. Working Genius and Parenting

16 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We use the Working Genius model as a guide for how we show up to work.  This week, Pat, Cody and Beau discuss how you can apply it to your job as a p...

23. Make Your Conversations More Productive

21 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In previous episodes, we've talked about the altitude of each Genius, the 3 stages of work, regulating your Genius, and the Genius of meetings.  What...

22. The Cure for Team Toxicity

07 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Perhaps the most immediate benefit of the Working Genius model is how it allows us to overcome the fundamental attribution error.  This week, Pat, Co...

21. Pairings Part 2

24 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the Working Genius team covers two more pairings with help from Beau and Julie.  Tune in as we discuss IG and DT.  

20. When Your Genius Sucks

15 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Every one of our Working Geniuses gives us joy and energy, but that doesn't mean they can never prove to be annoying, to others or to ourselves.  In ...

19. Pairings and Labels Part 1

03 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone has two Working Geniuses, which means there are 15 different potential pairings.  This week, the team reveals three of the labels that we've...

18. Person on the Street: Tom and Rosylyn

18 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week on the podcast, we debrief some Working Genius results live!  Our friends Tom and Rosylyn, who own a local business, sit down with Pat and ...

17. Here's Your Birthday Gift

04 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the team kicks off the new season of the Working Genius podcast as we celebrate the model's 1 year anniversary!  Tune in to hear Pat, Cody...

16. Cliffhanger

13 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

To close out this first 'season' of the Working Genius podcast, the team gets together to share what we've learned about the model, what we've been wo...

15. Rebranding Enablement

03 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Genius of Enablement doesn't get the credit that we think it deserves.  On this week's episode, we discuss the guilt, societal expectations, and ...

14. The Truth About Burnout

18 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For too long we thought about burnout as it relates the to the amount of work on our plate.  Pat and Cody discuss how the Working Genius provides a ...

13. Holding Back Your Genius

06 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Should we be using our areas of Genius all the time?  Pat and the team discuss why regulating our Genius in certain situations can serve our teams an...

12. Working Genius and Your Family

29 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We explore Working Genius in our homes. How does our type affect how we think about our families, kids, spouse, etc. Pat, Laura and Cody discuss guilt...