When someone is consistently drained by their work, the default explanation is workload or burnout. But often what is actually happening is simpler and more specific: they are being asked to spend most of their time doing work that does not align with how they are wired to contribute.

The 6 Types of Working Genius™ makes that visible. It is a practical productivity and teamwork tool — 20% personality, 80% productivity — that helps individuals and teams understand which types of work give them energy and which types drain them. When this is understood at the team level, work can be assigned more strategically, friction decreases, and output improves without adding pressure.

In the context of Identity-Centered Leadership™, Working Genius does something additional: it helps leaders see whether the work they are being asked to do is actually aligned with who they are — or whether they have been absorbing work that was never theirs to carry, at the cost of the contribution only they can make.

Russo Leadership uses Working Genius™ to help organizations reduce burnout, enhance collaboration, and build teams that operate in their strengths while minimizing unnecessary friction.

The Six Working Geniuses

• Wonder (W) — Identifying the need for change or improvement
• Invention (I) — Creating original ideas and solutions
• Discernment (D) — Using intuition and judgment to evaluate and refine ideas
• Galvanizing (G) — Rallying, motivating, and moving people into action
• Enablement (E) — Providing support and assistance to make ideas possible
• Tenacity (T) — Executing, following through, and ensuring results

Every individual has two Working Geniuses, two Working Competencies, and two Working Frustrations — and understanding this mix transforms how people work together.

What Working Genius™ Helps Solve

• Understand why certain work energizes or drains them
• Identify root causes of team friction or stalled execution
• Improve communication and reduce unfair assumptions
• Make quick, concrete adjustments to roles and responsibilities
• Improve team meetings, handoffs, and decision-making
• Reduce guilt around natural weaknesses and increase clarity around strengths
• Get more done in less time, with less burnout

How We Deliver Working Genius™

• Pre-work assessment and leader alignment
• A facilitated workshop (virtual or in-person)
• Insight-driven discussion around team strengths and gaps
• Exploration of how the team moves through the six stages of work
• Building a Team Map and Working Genius™ action plan
• Optional post-session debrief and coaching

Best For

• Teams with unclear roles or uneven workloads
• Leaders wanting to improve alignment and productivity
• Cross-functional teams trying to collaborate more effectively
• Organizations experiencing burnout, bottlenecks, or chronic rework
• New teams seeking fast trust and clarity

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