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The 6 Types of Working Genius: A Better Way to Understand Your Gifts, Your Frustrations, and Your Team Hardcover – September 27, 2022
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USA Today Bestseller
New York Times best-selling author Patrick Lencioni unveils a truly groundbreaking new model that will change the way we think about work and teams forever.
The 6 Types of Working Genius is the fastest way to help people identify the type of work that brings them joy and energy, and avoid work that leads to frustration and burnout.
Beyond the personal discovery and instant relief that Working Genius provides, the model also gives teams a remarkably simple and practical framework for tapping into one another’s natural gifts, which increases productivity and reduces unnecessary judgment.
In classic Lencioni fashion, Pat brings his model to life in a page-turning fable that is as relatable as it is compelling. He tells the story of Bull Brooks, an entrepreneur, husband, and father who sets out to solve his own frustration at work and stumbles into a new way of thinking that changes the way he sees his work, his team, and even his marriage.
What sets this book—and the model behind it—apart from other tools and assessments is the speed at which it can be understood and applied, and the relevance it has to every kind of work in life, from running a company to launching a product to managing a family.
In addition to this book, Lencioni and the Table Group have created a 10-minute assessment that helps individuals quickly identify their gifts and apply this model to themselves and their teams. Join the hundreds of thousands of people who have already discovered their Working Genius, and experience the transformation in your work, your team, and your life.
Learn more about the Working Genius at WorkingGenius.com.
- Print length240 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherMatt Holt Books
- Publication dateSeptember 27, 2022
- Dimensions6 x 1.2 x 9 inches
- ISBN-101637743297
- ISBN-13978-1637743294
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From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews
Review
—Dan Klock, CEO, Bridgetown Natural Foods
""Nothing gave me an aha moment like the The 6 Types of Working Genius. It dialed in something for me that's been a question for years. It gave me a sense of freedom.""
—Michael Hyatt, New York Times best-selling author
""The simple 10-minute assessment completely changed the way we think about our work and our people.""
—Andrew Laffoon, CEO, Mixbook
""I can't tell you all enough how ""less crazy"" this model makes me feel. It really is a game-changer in getting work done, and done well.""
—Stephanie Culbreth, business execution consultant
""If helping your people find fulfillment in their work is important for you, apply Lencioni's The 6 Types of Working Genius in your organization.""
—Bobby Herrera, president, Populus Group
""The 6 Types of Working Genius has helped me realize the geniuses that I never knew I had, and now I am able to intentionally spend time doing the things I love.""
—Stacy Rutten, professional development coach, Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose School District
""Understanding my working geniuses, competencies, and frustrations told me more about myself than the other personality profiles I have done . . . Using the The 6 Types of Working Genius model resulted in the most productive project I have ever organized.""
—Al Ainsworth, 10th grade teacher, Northpoint Christian School
""What a powerful tool for understanding the contributions each individual can bring to a team.""
—Selita Jansen, operations leadership, TrueNorth Companies
""In this compelling book, Pat Lencioni shows us how work flows easily when we unleash our inner genius.""
-Steve Strauss, columnist, USA Today
""The 6 Types of Working Genius has reframed our entire perception of our effectiveness as a team.""
—Mark Stuckey, assistant high school principal, Solanco School District
""The 6 Types of Working Genius has transformed my interaction with volunteers . . .I am striving to never place a volunteer in an area outside of their geniuses.""
—Carmen Halsey,director of leadership development, Illinois Baptist State Association
""The 6 Types of Working Genius will empower every manager to affect positive change for their people, and be responsible for improving their productivity, both personally, as well as professionally.""
—Sam Weinstein, CEO, Specialty Care Inc.
""I enjoyed The 6 Types of Working Genius immensely, and my mind is racing with how I can incorporate the insights gleaned from it into my company's operations.""
—David Macias, co-founder and president, Thirty Tigers
""After many years in marriage andbusiness together, I questionedif my wife hated all my ideas. Before the The 6 Types of Working Genius, I saw her discernment as conflict instead of complement. Taking the assessment was the best anniversary gift!""
—Heath Ellenberger, operational partner, OrangeTheory Fitness
""I've lived under constant pressure to always be creative and inventive. I've felt judged for not being good in those areas. It's such a relief to finally understand that these are not my gifts and that I have other geniuses I can leverage.""
—Kevin Tranel, campus pastor, The Chapel
""Your life will be transformed by aligning your work to your genius.""
—Ellen Twomey, founder, You are techY
""This is the simplest and most useful tool that I have come across to quickly improve personal and team energy, understanding, and productivity.""
—Bates Alheit, senior consultant, Convergenc3
""Patrick Lencioni . . . challenges leaders to help their people unpack their innate talents and leverage them, not just for the benefit of the organization, but for the direct benefits they can reap by living a more fulfilled life.""
—Kelly Goldsmith, PhD, professor of marketing, Vanderbilt University"
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Matt Holt Books (September 27, 2022)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 240 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1637743297
- ISBN-13 : 978-1637743294
- Item Weight : 14.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 6 x 1.2 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,663 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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About the author

Patrick Lencioni is founder and president of The Table Group, a firm dedicated to helping leaders improve their organizations’ health since 1997. His principles have been embraced by leaders around the world and adopted by organizations of virtually every kind including multinational corporations, entrepreneurial ventures, professional sports teams, the military, nonprofits, schools, and churches.
Lencioni is the author of ten business books with over three million copies sold worldwide. His work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Fortune, Bloomberg Businessweek, and USA Today.
Prior to founding The Table Group, Lencioni served on the executive team at Sybase, Inc. He started his career at Bain & Company and later worked at Oracle Corporation.
Lencioni lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and their four sons.
To learn more about Patrick and The Table Group, please visit www.tablegroup.com.
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book an easy read in narrative form that provides great insights into work styles and team productivity. The storytelling brings the assessment to life, and customers appreciate how it helps identify areas of strength and avoid burnout. They describe the book as fun and entertaining, with one customer noting it's a must-read for frustrated managers. The value for money receives mixed reviews, with some finding it worth the price while others consider it a waste of time.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book effective, providing a nice summary of the 6 Types of Working Genius and great insights, with one customer noting how it helped them gain insight into their work style.
"...How the 6 Types of Working Genius will improve engagement and employee retention. (That alone is worth the price of the book.)..." Read more
"Great book! It totally makes sense and is a great tool to use at home or work." Read more
"Great concept. Love the book. But let’s be honest none of the language through out the book was needed at all, what so ever...." Read more
"...Model section at the end of the book provides a nice summary of the 6 Types of Working Genius and why it is important for a team to know the Working..." Read more
Customers find the book easy to read, appreciating its fable-based approach and simple premise.
"...The story was very engaging and an easy read (I read the entire book in 2 hours), but could have been a tad shorter (only my opinion)...." Read more
"...The book delivers crisp definitions and—gratefully—the theory is outgunned by the humor. This is the funniest book I’ve read all year!..." Read more
"Great book! It totally makes sense and is a great tool to use at home or work." Read more
"...allows us to identify what brings us joy and fulfillment in an easy-to-understand yet powerful way...." Read more
Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as a great and fun read, with one customer noting it's a must-read for frustrated managers.
"Another great book by Patrick Lencioni. The only "slight" hesitation I have is with the length of the opening "fable"...." Read more
"Great book! It totally makes sense and is a great tool to use at home or work." Read more
"Great concept. Love the book. But let’s be honest none of the language through out the book was needed at all, what so ever...." Read more
"...his Working Genius podcast there is not any new info but it is a fun read and the Exploring the Model section at the end of the book provides a nice..." Read more
Customers appreciate how the book helps readers identify their areas of strength, with one customer noting it provides grace in understanding their areas of deficit.
"...is another must-read: “The 6 Types of Working Genius: A Better Way to Understand Your Gifts, Your Frustrations, and Your Team.”..." Read more
"...It also helps to avoid burnout and shed unnecessary shame by recognizing our working frustrations...." Read more
"...Like I said, it’s simple yet genius at the same time. Anyone can understand the concepts quickly and taking a deeper dive will help you understand..." Read more
"...This is like an assessment on one’s dynamic (vs static) strengths." Read more
Customers appreciate the storytelling in the book, with its entertaining fable that brings the assessment to life, and one customer noting how relatable it feels.
"...The story was very engaging and an easy read (I read the entire book in 2 hours), but could have been a tad shorter (only my opinion)...." Read more
"...This book is a bit different in that it is an autobiography! The characters are (mostly) real - with a few name changes and character composites...." Read more
"...author’s parable-style books are always engaging, easy to read, and memorable...." Read more
"...It feels like an introduction, and I was anticipating a handbook...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's humor, finding it funny and engaging, with one customer noting how it makes the content more memorable.
"...This is the funniest book I’ve read all year! (Lencioni’s 2021 book, “The Motive,” had perfect-timing humor. But this book is hilarious!)..." Read more
"...get things done in a way that is both productive and energizing to everybody involved. Every team I have ever been on would’ve benefited from this." Read more
"...The author’s parable-style books are always engaging, easy to read, and memorable...." Read more
"...helpful in thinking about how employees fit into a team and can better enjoy their work...." Read more
Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, noting it helps avoid burnout and enables better understanding of persistent frustrations.
"...It also helps to avoid burnout and shed unnecessary shame by recognizing our working frustrations...." Read more
"...The kind of work you can do all day long and not feel burnt out...." Read more
"...This is NOT personality, this is productivity. This is WHY we struggle and how to stop feeling guilty about it. Get this book. Do not delay...." Read more
"...That describes this book. A solid, useful tool ensconced in mounds of useless padding...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the book's value for money, with several finding it a waste of time.
"...That alone is worth the price of the book.) Bottom Line: Do we really need another assessment? YES!" Read more
"...So it’s a good but not a great book. The genius is that the term genius in the title sells books." Read more
"...The author's creation of the Working Geniuses model carries material value, but as a book, I struggled to wade through the first part ("The Fable")..." Read more
"...In book format, it wastes your time. Do yourself a favor and grab the hammer without the big box of packing peanuts...." Read more
Reviews with images

Maximize Joy, Productivity, and Retention of Your Team
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2025Another great book by Patrick Lencioni. The only "slight" hesitation I have is with the length of the opening "fable". In classic Lencioni style he builds a fictional narrative that plays out the actual information/principles that book is teaching. The story was very engaging and an easy read (I read the entire book in 2 hours), but could have been a tad shorter (only my opinion).
The absolute GOLD is found in the 6 types of "Working Genius" that Lencioni describes very clearly. I HIGHLY recommend this for anyone that has to work as a team or lead a team to accomplish anything!
- Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2022Bestselling organizational health guru Patrick Lencioni’s new book is another must-read: “The 6 Types of Working Genius: A Better Way to Understand Your Gifts, Your Frustrations, and Your Team.” The book (and the assessment) could be transformational for you and your team.
You will love this hilarious story, told in the classic Lencioni business fable format. (Really, it’s hilarious!)
• It’s extremely HELPFUL—three stages of work and six types of working genius. (Yes! Look in the mirror and repeat after me, “I’m a genius! But…I’m not a genius in all six types.”)
• It’s EYE-OPENING—you will quickly understand why you and your team members are often frustrated with work projects.
• It’s TRANSFORMATIONAL—when you learn what brings you joy and when you should say “no.” And…the Working Genius model is applicable to work, home, and church.
NOT ANOTHER ASSESSMENT! I must admit, I was skeptical. “Really, Lencioni? The world needs another assessment? Really?”
I’m a big fan of what I call “The 3 Powerful S’s.” I’ve learned and leveraged the 4 social styles, the 34 strengths, and the 23 or more spiritual gifts. Then (oops!), I added one more S: self-awareness and social-awareness (EQ). So...do we need another assessment?
I mean...assessments can be helpful—but it’s the rare person that can remember their own assessment results. I’ve tested this in workshops with over 1,000 leaders, managers, and board members over 20 years. It’s only cost me less than 20 Starbucks gift cards. (Sad, actually.)
But…I’m betting that “The 6 Types of Working Genius” book, and the 10-minute assessment, will change the global organizational health landscape. This is not hype—it’s hallelujah!
Lencioni says there are three stages of work: Ideation, Activation, and Implementation—and that staff meetings often go off the rails because there’s no clarity on which stage is being discussed. The three stages pair with the 6 types of Working Genius:
• IDEATION: Wonder and Invention
• ACTIVATION: Discernment and Galvanizing
• IMPLEMENTATION: Enablement and Tenacity
The book delivers crisp definitions and—gratefully—the theory is outgunned by the humor. This is the funniest book I’ve read all year! (Lencioni’s 2021 book, “The Motive,” had perfect-timing humor. But this book is hilarious!)
Lencioni’s quick-reading story follows a small team’s aha moment when they discover transformational insights about their personalities and their productivity. The book (and the assessment) will help you discover:
• YOUR WORKING GENIUS—the two activities that give you “joy, energy, and passion.”
• YOUR WORKING COMPETENCY—the two activities we can do “fairly well, perhaps even very well”—yet “we will eventually grow weary if we are not allowed to exercise our true geniuses.”
• YOUR WORKING FRUSTRATION—you probably already know these two, but if a good portion of your work is here, “…we are bound to experience misery at work, and ultimately, struggle or even fail.”
I will inspire one of my granddaughters to take the assessment. She's a part-time team member at a local coffee shop and I'll enjoy watching her in action with her team members! (And speaking of coffee, don’t skip the metaphors describing how the three categories are like a coffee thermos, a regular coffee cup, and a cup that has a hole its bottom!)
Last week, a friend who is just changing jobs (I’ll call him “Joe”), shared his assessment results (a customized 18-page report):
• Joe’s areas of Working Genius: Invention and Galvanizing
• Joe’s areas of Working Competency: Wonder and Discernment
• Joe’s areas of Working Frustration: Enablement and Tenacity
Note to Joe’s new boss! If you’re looking for Joe to bring a project to the finish line (Tenacity), he may be frustrated. (Read the book to learn how to reconfigure his role so it leverages his areas of Working Genius.)
THERE’S SO MUCH MORE in this fast-reading book:
• A fascinating example of the six types of genius at work in a church committee meeting! (Meet “Mrs. Church Lady!”)
• How working in your God-given area of genius will dramatically improve your team’s work and your organization’s morale.
• Why “cultural fit” is a big factor—if a team member is currently in the “Frustration” area.
• The four kinds of work conversations: brainstorming, decision-making, launch, and status review and problem-solving (aligned with the six types).
• Genius Gaps: what happens when your team has a lack of Wonder, or a lack of Invention, etc. (Brilliant—and just three pages.)
• Why, when you’re working at the wrong elevation of a project, you’ll need a barf bag!
• How the 6 Types of Working Genius will improve engagement and employee retention. (That alone is worth the price of the book.)
Bottom Line: Do we really need another assessment? YES!
- Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2025Great book! It totally makes sense and is a great tool to use at home or work.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2023Great concept. Love the book. But let’s be honest none of the language through out the book was needed at all, what so ever. And I mean to the point you could have literally removed it and not even replaced it and nothing would have even been missing. Simply put, it’s tacky ;) and There is nothing flattering about it. Except it makes you look bad as a leader and I don’t think anyone wants that😉 Your other books are great with out the language. Let’s go back to that concept 🙌
Im guessing, it sells more books. ? Not sure.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2022The 6 Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni creates a framework and a common language for us to overcome false narratives we make about ourselves and others and unlocked a tool that allows us to identify what brings us joy and fulfillment in an easy-to-understand yet powerful way. The Working Genius model and assessment is simple, practical, and transformational. Patrick Lencioni's premise is that all work has six steps, but we only get energy, joy and fulfillment from two of them. This book and the model gives the reader language for how to celebrate the unique contributions of each member of a team and provides a framework for how we can get more work done, in less time, and have more fun doing it by leaning in to our God given gifts. It also helps to avoid burnout and shed unnecessary shame by recognizing our working frustrations. For people who follow his Working Genius podcast there is not any new info but it is a fun read and the Exploring the Model section at the end of the book provides a nice summary of the 6 Types of Working Genius and why it is important for a team to know the Working Genius of their team members and to make sure gaps are addressed and how to use the model to make meetings more effective by being clear about the purpose of the meeting and the Geniuses needed. I was a bit disappointed that the book did not go into the pairings as this has been presented on the podcast but perhaps he wanted to avoid information overload and another book will be written to focus on the pairings.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2024This book unequivocally identifies and explains the reasons we find joy doing certain activities and the reasons we might be exasperated. The guidelines and model are simple, easy to understand, and immediately actionable in both your work life and your personal life.
The “genius” of the book, in my opinion, lies in the method of presentation. The author starts with a fable which magnificently explains the concepts and parameters, and then he dives further into the direct explanation of the six types of genius. But wait, there’s more! The author goes on to describe how the model applies to executing projects and tasks (at work, church, home, etc.) AND he describes how companies can use the model for recruitment, retention, and manpower adjustments to avoid unnecessary turnover (putting the right people in the right seats on the bus).
Exceptional and highly recommended!! By far the most profound OD type of book I’ve read.
Top reviews from other countries
- IshandshelkeReviewed in India on September 2, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars The author is doing Almighty's work
Explained why I am the way I am and my Unique genius. Thank you so much. I am forever grateful for your work.
- Jonas FReviewed in Sweden on August 3, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
Helps to understand and put words on what kind of work task to focus on and avoid. And maybe more important, how much we need and compliment each other.
- Katie OmrodReviewed in Australia on March 3, 2025
5.0 out of 5 stars Helpful for leaders
Really helpful for leaders to think through the different members of their teams and how they work, and in turn working with each other.
Definitely recommend!
- J. S. WilsonReviewed in Canada on October 23, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars You have TWO unique talents to contribute to your team - read on to learn more!
Did you know that your teammates and you each have two of six unique gifts or working genius as the author shows you in his unique business parable style? Patrick M. Lencioni is well known for his business fiction that teaches a lesson and then follows it up with learning that goes in-depth to cover his ideas.
This book was fun to read and enjoyable to learn these lessons!
The topic was easy to understand and helpful to provide reasoning for why some teams seem to fail when the team assembled appears at its face to be excellent - > they might be missing one, or more, of the working genius types!
I highly recommend that you check this book out!
Thank you so much to Net Galley, Author Patrick M. Lencioni and publisher Matt Holt for this advance copy to review. My review was unswayed by any outside influence and represents my own opinions.
- RobinReviewed in the United Kingdom on December 30, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars So Good!
Read it a few months ago and only just now took the assessment. Wow! Life changing for me personally and as a mom of 5 kids to understand them as well as husband. Our family functions in much better harmony.