Leadership Series – Excelling In Your Zone Of Genius
We’ve all heard the term “Zone of Genius”, but when it comes to leadership, it’s important to understand why your zone of genius matters and why it’s also important to spot it in those you lead as well.
In the book The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks, he explains that there are 4 zones that we typically fall into when it comes to our skills, strengths, and talents:
- Zone of Incompetence – areas where you lack talent or skills
- Zone of Competence – areas that you are good at, but others can do better
- Zone of Excellence – areas where there is talent and skill, but it doesn’t give you energy
- Zone of Genius – areas that you are uniquely good at and that you love to do
As you can imagine, excelling in your Zone of Genius can add the most value to the world and to yourself, especially as a leader. When you’re able to understand your own Zone of Genius, it’s much easier to encourage and support those around you in order to help them discover theirs as well.
Whether your leadership is at work or at home, being a leader that not only allows team members to realize their full potential, but is also committed to their own growth potential, is incredibly important. The more you can maximize your own Zone of Genius – the places where you are at your best, doing what comes naturally to you, and where you’re in the “flow” – the better it is for everyone.
Good leadership means spending time with yourself and your team members to assess, understand, and appreciate your own unique genius qualities and talents, allowing everyone to excel on all levels.
Whenever possible, your Zone of Genius is where you should be spending most, if not all, of your time. The same goes for your team – they’re at their best when they’re also operating from their Zone of Genius, as much as it’s feasible.
By getting to know yourself and others on a deeper level, you can provide the skills and self-awareness that make the discovery and practice of excelling in your Zone of Genius easier. By taking the time and initiative to understand yourself and those you lead, you might also find, or offer, different roles that support that awareness.
Great leaders excel in their Zone of Genius and help others to do the same – are you aware of, and excelling in, yours?
Let’s be honest – the world needs better leaders at work and at home. Are you ready to become a better leader?
Source – “The 15 Commitments Of Conscious Leadership”