How to Identify Your Zone of Genius

Jun 22

Albert Einstein once said,

“The definition of genius is taking the complex and making it simple.”

One of the earliest exercises I walk new clients through is identifying their ‘zone of genius.’

This work isn’t just about collecting praise and feel-good stories. It is about becoming exquisitely aware of what work you brilliantly and effortlessly, and then committing to lead with it!

These are the basics, so this is where we begin…

Step 1

This work begins with a simple 2x2 matrix - a framework to help you imagine that everything you do falls into four zones.

Everything you do includes: roles you play, relationships you manage, projects you take on, things you are trying to learn, etc.

Then take several minutes to identify the responsibilities, relationship, or activities that require a lot of your energy and effort, and do (or do not) advance your agenda, or highest purpose. There is no writing in Step 1, just imagining and identifying!

Challenge 1:
Notice if you have resistance to aligning your work to these four zones. That might be a clue that you are working in all zones simultaneously with mixed results!
Challenge 2:
Notice if your attention wanders to the ‘zone of excellence.’ This is where most hyper-achievers spend their energy and effort, and where we have all been trained to look. The quadrant of maximums - maximum effort, maximum impact, and maximum reward, etc.

Step 2

Now, turn your attention to the lower right zone: the ‘zone of genius.’ This zone is where you could spend more time advancing your agenda and expending less effort and energy. (To be clear, this zone is not the zone of no effort! It is the zone where things come more naturally and intuitively for you.)

Challenge:
If contemplating anything less than maximum effort is uncomfortable for you…good! Stay aware of that bias and trust that your willingness to invest effort and energy will become more focused as a result of this work.

Step 3

Now, you get to start writing and taking notes…

I invite you to answer the following questions thoroughly and honestly.

Inquiries sourced from the book, The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership

When you have answered these four questions thoroughly and honestly, you may choose to stop and take stock.

This is your time to cultivate that exquisite awareness I talked about earlier; and start imagining some intentional shifts you want to make as a leader!