Episode 14: Innovation through the lens of the six working geniuses
Published on 7 January 2025 • Hosted by Dr Lisa Colledge
Innovation through the lens of the six working geniuses
Innovation doesn’t happen by accident—it’s powered by diverse cognitive strengths and behaviors across all stages of the innovation cycle. In this episode of Culture by Neurodesign, I further explore Patrick Lencioni’s six working geniuses which I connected to the innovation cycle in Episode 13.
Each working genius represents innate strengths that align naturally with different parts of the innovation process. Let’s look at how these six geniuses contribute to innovation:
Natural exploring working geniuses
Wonder > exploring possibilities
People with the genius of wonder excel at challenging the status quo and asking “What if?” They are natural questioners, pushing beyond accepted norms to spark ideas that lead to innovation.
Trait highlight: curiosity.
Invention > generating original ideas
Inventors thrive on making new connections between what we think we know, and breaking conventional thinking. They don’t just imagine possibilities—they create entirely new concepts from them.
Trait highlight: creativity.
Natural exploiting working geniuses
Discernment > evaluating ideas
Discerners have a gift for identifying the ideas that are worth pursuing. They use intuition, logic, and experience to make decisions that guide teams toward viable solutions.
Trait highlight: analytical judgment.
Galvanizing > mobilizing action
Galvanizers inspire others to act by creating shared goals and rallying the team around a clear vision. They are the driving force that turns ideas into action.
Trait highlight: leadership energy.
Enablement > supporting execution
Enablers ensure that everyone has the resources and support they need to bring ideas to life. They are team-oriented and collaborative, keeping projects moving forward.
Trait highlight: team collaboration.
Tenacity > seeing projects through
Tenacious individuals have the discipline and focus to ensure that ideas are completed and deliver tangible value. They are the finishers who refuse to give up.
Trait highlight: determination.
Why it matters for your innovation cycle
To ensure that a thriving innovation cycle runs automatically and continuously, organizations need a balance of all six geniuses. Each stage—exploring, evaluating, and executing—relies on the unique contributions of people with these innate cognitive strengths. Missing any of these cognitive styles creates gaps that disrupt your innovation process.
But having the right mix isn’t enough. Without a cognitively inclusive culture, these diverse strengths fail to work effectively together. Leaders need to create cultures top activate their cognitive diversity, where differences are celebrated, collaboration is enabled, and every genius type is enabled to thrive.
Cognitive diversity enables innovation. A cognitively inclusive culture makes it a reality.
I'm Lisa, and I help leaders create inclusive cultures that embrace all neurostyles. By empowering every team member to contribute at their best, while fostering mental well-being, you will boost innovation, retention, and talent acquisition—leading to enhanced business performance.
Click here to learn more about how my services can transform your team.
