Applying the Six Working Genius Model to Law Firms
Collaboration and teamwork are crucial for a workplace to operate efficiently and to foster a pleasant, collegial environment. Although some law firms invest significant effort into creating a positive work environment, the inherent stressors of legal practice and the diverse personalities involved can make this particularly challenging.
While there are many ways that a firm or practice group can enhance teamwork, many of the traditional approaches are more centered on “getting-to-know-you” type activities. In contrast, the Six Types of Working Genius workshop is particularly effective for law firms because:
1. It is about productivity. – While participating in the workshop will likely foster greater connection and understanding among team members, its primary focus is on getting things done.
2. It is quick and easy. – The assessment tool takes less than 10 minutes and a workshop can be completed in 2-3 hours.
3. It helps lawyers navigate multiple and/or changing teams. – Lawyers often work concurrently on numerous teams, both inside and outside of the firm. Jumping from one team to another can be difficult since people don’t develop the familiarity and understanding that generally makes it easier to work together. The 6 Working Genius Model can help teams skip over some of the awkwardness and become efficient more quickly.
4. It helps lawyers to select the best team members. – Whether you are hiring or just staffing a project, the Six Working Genius Model can help lawyers to determine which “geniuses” (and therefore which people) are likely to work well together.
5. It helps lawyers have more effective meetings. – Many lawyers dislike meetings because they often feel like a waste of time. This model helps everyone understand what makes a meeting effective at each stage of a project and how to set meetings up for success.
What is the Six Types of Working Genius Model?
The Six Types of Working Genius is a tool from Pat Lencioni, author of the modern classic, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. It is 20% a personality assessment and 80% a productivity tool which can be used to help attorneys better understand themselves and their team members. When a team is able to recognize one other’s gifts and speak the same language regarding those gifts the team is able to enhance their productivity and enjoyment. The Six Working Geniuses model states that there are six types of “geniuses,” which parallel the elements required to formulate and bring a project to completion:
The Genius of Wonder — This is the natural gift of pondering the greater potential and opportunity in any given situation.
The Genius of Invention — This is the natural gift of creating original and novel ideas and solutions.
The Genius of Discernment — The natural gift of intuitively and instinctively evaluating ideas and situations.
The Genius of Galvanizing — The natural gift of rallying, inspiring and organizing others to take action.
The Genius of Enablement — The natural gift of providing encouragement and assistance for an idea or project.
The Genius of Tenacity —The natural gift of pushing projects or tasks to completion to achieve results.
The model posits that each person has two areas of “Working Genius,” two “Working Frustrations” and two “Working Competencies.” Your Working Geniuses are the areas that come most naturally and give you energy and joy. Your Working Frustrations are generally the kind of work that leaves you feeling drained. In the middle, your Working Competencies are the types of work at which you are skilled but which drain you when you spend too much time on them. Of course, attorneys must engage in all of these activities in their practice. Nevertheless, when lawyers have clarity about their own and team members’ geniuses it enables everyone to maximize the use of their strengths and minimize frustrations. The team becomes more than the sum of its parts.
This model is about what gives each person energy, not about rating their capabilities! Many lawyers are extraordinarily effective in their areas of competency and even their areas of frustration. This model is about what kind of work gives people the most joy, and how their natural talent for that work can best be utilized in a team context. Better understanding the kind of work that gives people joy increases productivity and reduces burnout.
The workshop helps collaboration
Collaboration and teamwork among law firm partners provide the foundation on which an entire firm succeeds or struggles. Thus, even the most hard-working and caring teams can benefit from taking time to step back and try to better understand their respective strengths and explore ways to enhance collaboration. Teams that take the time to work on their communication and collaboration reap significant rewards in the areas of retention, productivity and camaraderie. Although workshops can be tailored to particular goals, common outcomes include the following:
Partners are able to collaborate more effectively and thus produce more robust results in the areas of business development, strategic planning and other firm priorities
Partners have a deeper appreciation for the talents of each partner and associate
Meetings are more meaningful and efficient
Retention of partners and associates becomes easier as each person feels more appreciated and is able to spend more time on their areas of innate talent
Burnout is reduced as lawyers explore ways to spend more time on their natural gifts
Times when the 6 Working Genius workshop is particularly beneficial:
When there have been significant changes to the composition of the firm or team because new partners have joined, partners have left, or both
When a strategic planning process is about to start or is not moving forward as quickly as expected
When partners or practice group team members are not collaborating as effectively as they would like on client matters or business development
When there is concern about reducing burnout among attorneys and staff
The Value of a Team Map
The Six Working Geniuses model can be applied in numerous ways to individuals and teams. One example is mapping out the geniuses and frustrations of team members to better understand team dynamics. When one or more of the geniuses are underrepresented or overrepresented on a team, it significantly reduces the effectiveness of the team’s projects and initiatives in predictable ways. Below are some examples:
Wonder — If a team is underrepresented in the Genius of Wonder, it often fails to identify serious problems or seize major opportunities. Team members may neglect to ask important questions before pitching to a client or starting a project. Executive committee members may focus solely on day-to-day issues without thinking strategically about the bigger picture. Without Wonder, teams may accomplish tasks quickly but miss the potential for greater effectiveness.
Invention — When clients complain that lawyers are always saying no rather than providing solutions, this could indicate underrepresentation in the Genius of Invention. Likewise, if a team repeatedly revisits the same problems without making progress, it may be lacking in this area. The Genius of Invention helps teams generate novel solutions and ideas, allowing their hard work to yield tangible benefits.
Discernment — Lawyers, as a group, tend to be strong in Discernment. The ability to critique and identify problems is essential, but when Discernment is overrepresented in a firm, team or practice group, it may stifle new ideas rather than foster them. When most team members excel at spotting potential pitfalls, it can be harder to move forward with innovative ideas or initiatives.
Galvanizing — The Genius of Galvanizing motivates others into action, making it particularly valuable for business development and client projects without clear deadlines. Teams lacking this genius may see business development initiatives stall or client projects slow down. In an executive committee, the Genius of Galvanizing ensures that good ideas gain the attention and momentum they need to succeed.
Enablement — A team underrepresented in Enablement often struggles to retain associates and may lack enthusiasm and camaraderie. The skills related to Enablement are sometimes undervalued in law firms; but without them, team members may feel isolated and unsupported. On executive committees, without sufficient encouragement and assistance, good ideas may fail to gain traction, causing projects and programs to stagnate.
Tenacity — Lawyers with the Genius of Tenacity ensure that projects are completed to high standards and within deadlines. This genius is crucial in legal practice, making it common for successful teams to be overrepresented in this area. However, when Tenacity is overrepresented on an executive committee, meetings may be so focused on efficiency and completing the agenda that they overlook abstract or strategic concerns.
For a team, practice group, or firm to achieve exceptional success, all six geniuses must be adequately represented. Each genius makes valuable contributions, and without them, the team is disadvantaged. Fortunately, once there is awareness of the different "geniuses," it is possible to compensate for any imbalances. Missing geniuses can be "borrowed" from other groups or support staff, considered in hiring decisions, or actively encouraged within the team. For instance, if only one person on the team has a particular genius, they may feel overlooked or misunderstood. Recognizing the importance of their contribution allows the team to ensure that this crucial minority voice is heard.