By Jonathan Barnes, Founder of Work Heartily
If you’re a founder, you know what it feels like to wear every hat… at once. Some days you’re fired up and full of ideas. Other days, even the simplest task feels like walking through mud.
For me, that difference used to feel like a mystery until I discovered Working Genius. It changed how I think about work, teams, and leadership.
My Working Genius: Galvanizing + Invention
My two “Geniuses” are Galvanizing and Invention, which basically means I love coming up with ideas and rallying people around them.
I call it my “Evangelizing Innovator” energy. I’m at my best when I get to dream something up and then get people excited about it. On the flip side, when I’m stuck doing repetitive or detail-heavy work, I get drained fast.
When I first saw this mapped out, it explained so much! Mostly, why certain tasks left me energized and others left me exhausted. That clarity was powerful enough that I went all in and became a Certified Master Facilitator for Working Genius. Now we use it with nearly every founder and leadership team we work with at Work Heartily.
A Quick Look at Working Genius
Created by Patrick Lencioni (the author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team), Working Genius is a practical framework that helps you figure out which kinds of work give you energy, and which ones don’t.
It breaks work into six types across three stages of getting things done:
- Wonder & Invention (the idea stage)
- Discernment & Galvanizing (the activation stage)
- Enablement & Tenacity (the execution stage)
Everyone has two areas of Genius (what you naturally love and do well), two Competencies (you can do them but they don’t energize you), and two Frustrations (the things that drain you).
It’s simple, but when you see it applied to a real team, it’s a total unlock. Suddenly everyone knows why the work feels easy or hard and how to build around each other’s strengths.
Why We Use Working Genius at Work Heartily
When we start working with a new client, one of the first things we do is bring the team through a Working Genius session. Here’s why:
- We want to build with energy, not exhaustion.
If your Genius is Invention and you’re stuck running operations, burnout’s not far behind. Mapping your Genius helps you focus on what you do best and delegate what drains you. - It gives language to what’s been unspoken.
Teams often know there’s tension but can’t explain it. “Why do we have a million ideas but never finish anything?” or “Why is our follow-through so inconsistent?” Working Genius gives you the vocabulary to fix that. - It shapes roles around people, not the other way around.
Especially for founder-led companies, we help you design roles and workflows that play to each person’s natural strengths instead of forcing everyone into the same mold. - It becomes a healthy way to talk about work.
Once a team starts using the language (“That’s in my frustration zone,” or “Let’s hand this off to someone with Tenacity”), it builds empathy and flow. Work stops feeling personal and starts feeling collaborative.
For Founders, It’s About Energy and Alignment
As a founder, your energy is your most valuable asset. The more time you spend in your Genius zones, the healthier your business will be.
Working Genius helps you as a founder:
- Stay energized and focused
- Delegate and hire smarter
- Build teams that actually enjoy working together
- Avoid the slow burnout that comes from doing everything yourself
Want to See Your Genius in Action?
If this resonates with you, I’d love to show you how it works.
Let’s set up a free strategy session, an honest conversation about your business, your leadership style, and how Working Genius can help you and your team work smarter (and with a lot more joy).