Namo Namaha friends, ever wondered why some Monday mornings feel like a perfectly spiced masala puri while others taste like bland, uninspiring ganji (porridge)? The secret might be hiding in your kitchen’s masala dabba!
Picture this: It’s Sunday evening, and that familiar knot in your stomach starts forming. The “Sunday Scaries” have arrived, whispering about the week ahead filled with meetings that drain your soul and tasks that feel like chewing on cardboard! You’ve been there, haven’t you?
Staring at your work laptop, wondering why something that should energize you feels more exhausting than a torturous three-hour+ Bollywood movie!
Here’s the thing – your work life might just be missing the right spice blend. This is where The 6 Types of Working Genius, a powerful framework from Patrick Lencioni’s non-fiction book, comes in.
The Framework That Changes Everything
Patrick Lencioni’s “The 6 Types of Working Genius” reveals something profound: each of us has a unique combination of natural talents that, when properly understood and applied, can transform our work from mundane to magical.
The framework identifies six distinct types of genius that show up in every workplace:
- Wonder (W): The natural ability to ponder and speculate about better ways.
- Invention (I): The natural ability to create original and novel ideas.
- Discernment (D): The natural ability to intuitively evaluate ideas and situations.
- Galvanizing (G): The natural ability to rally and inspire others to take action.
- Enablement (E): The natural ability to provide others with support and assistance.
- Tenacity (T): The natural ability to push projects through to completion.
According to Lencioni, each person has two Working Geniuses (activities that energize you), two Working Competencies (activities you can do but don’t love), and two Working Frustrations (activities that drain you).
These six types naturally fall into three sequential stages of work:
- Ideation (Wonder + Invention): Where ideas are born.
- Activation (Discernment + Galvanizing): Where ideas are evaluated and people get motivated.
- Implementation (Enablement + Tenacity): Where ideas become reality.
My Interpretation: The Masala Dabba of Your Work Life
Now, here’s where I want to add my own flavor to Lencioni’s framework. Walk into any Indian kitchen, and you’ll find the heart of all great cooking: the masala dabba. This round, metal/wooden treasure chest holds five to seven+ small containers, each filled with a different spice that brings its own unique flavor, aroma, and purpose to every dish.
Your work potential? I believe it’s exactly like that masala dabba.
Before we dive into the spice analogies, let’s understand the foundation. In Ayurveda, there are six fundamental tastes (rasas) that, when balanced, create both nutritional completeness and culinary satisfaction:
- Madhura (Sweet): Nourishing and building.
- Amla (Sour): Stimulating and energizing.
- Lavana (Salty): Enhancing and magnifying.
- Katu (Pungent): Heating and transforming.
- Tikta (Bitter): Cleansing and completing.
- Kashaya (Astringent): Toning and discerning.
Just as a perfectly balanced meal includes all six tastes, a fulfilling task must engage all six types of Working Genius, though each of us naturally gravitate towards our signature “flavors.”
Your Six Work Spices: The Working Genius Masala Dabba
Each Working Genius is like a signature spice in your dabba, bringing a unique taste and essence to your work.
1. Wonder (Cardamom) — The Sweet Expansiveness 🫖
Ayurvedic Taste: Madhura (Sweet)
Just like cardamom (elaichi) opens up and sweetens everything it touches, people with Wonder as their genius have this beautiful ability to pause, ponder, and ask the questions that make everyone else go “Huh, I never thought of that“. They’re the curious ones who approach problems with genuine inquiry and help teams see beyond the obvious.
You might be a Wonder-er if: You’re the person who asks “What if…?” more than anyone else, you notice untapped potential everywhere, and you genuinely enjoy pondering and speculating about better ways to do things.
2. Invention (Black Pepper) — The Pungent Innovation ⚫
Ayurvedic Taste: Katu (Pungent)
Black pepper (kali mirch) doesn’t just add heat — it wakes up every other flavor in the dish with its sharp, transformative intensity. Similarly, Inventors bring that creative disruption that transforms ordinary ideas into something extraordinary. They’re the people who hear a problem and immediately start sketching solutions on napkins.
You might be an Inventor if: You get excited about solving problems. You naturally come up with novel solutions, and often think “I have an idea!” even when nobody asked for one.
3. Discernment (Turmeric) — The Astringent Clarity 🟡
Ayurvedic Taste: Kashaya (Astringent)
Turmeric (haldi) doesn’t scream for attention, but it quietly determines whether a dish will be healing or harmful. People with Discernment have this uncanny ability to sense whether an idea will work, often without needing spreadsheets or focus groups. Their instinct is usually spot-on, even if they can’t always explain why.
You might have Discernment if: People often ask for your opinion on ideas, you can quickly sense whether something will work or not, and you provide valuable feedback even without being an expert in the subject.
4. Galvanizing (Black Salt) — The Salty Magnetism 🧂
Ayurvedic Taste: Lavana (Salty)
Salt has this unique ability to make everything else in the dish more appealing — it literally makes your mouth water and enhances every other flavor. Galvanizers do the same thing with people and ideas. They’re the ones who can take a good idea and make everyone excited about actually doing something with it.
You might be a Galvanizer if: You love getting people excited about projects, you’re good at motivating others to take action, and you can rally a team around an idea without breaking a sweat.
5. Enablement (Coriander Powder) — The Harmonious Support 🟢
Ayurvedic Taste: Primarily harmonizing, also can be Tikta (Bitter) or Kashaya (Astringent) depending on form.
Coriander powder (dhania powder) is a versatile, foundational spice that rarely screams for attention but binds other flavors together, providing a warm, comforting base. Similarly, Enablers are the people who show up exactly when you need them, with exactly what you need, often before you even realize you need it. They respond to every request with genuine willingness and anticipate needs before they’re expressed.
You might be an Enabler if: You genuinely enjoy helping others succeed, people often turn to you when they need support, and you’re happiest when you make someone else’s job easier.
6. Tenacity (Cloves) — The Persistent Completion 🌰
Ayurvedic Taste: Tikta (Bitter)
Cloves (laung) are strong, pungent, and persistent — they infuse flavor deeply and provide a sharp, lasting note that signifies completion. Tenacious people get energized by pushing through obstacles and crossing finish lines. While others might lose steam in the final stretch, they’re just getting warmed up. They’re the ones who read the fine print and ensure that projects don’t just start well but actually get completed.
You might have Tenacity if: You get satisfaction from completing projects, you don’t mind pushing through obstacles, and you’re the person others rely on to get things done.
How You Cook (Work) with Your Spices: The Three Styles
Now that you know the six types of spices, let’s understand how to use them in your cooking (your work):
- Your Signature Spices (Working Geniuses): These are your two go-to flavors — the ones you reach for instinctively because they make everything better. Cooking with these spices brings you joy, energy, and your best results. Like a chef’s signature blend, these are what make your contribution unique and delicious. Patrick Lencioni’s core message is to identify these two and consciously seek out opportunities to “work” with them as much as possible.
- Your Occasional Spices (Working Competencies): These are spices you can use when the recipe calls for it, but if you use them too often, you get tired of the same flavor profile. You’re capable, but it’s not where you shine brightest. Think of these as your “weekend cooking” spices — fine in moderation.
- Your “Avoid Overuse” Spices (Working Frustrations): These are the spices that, when overused, make the entire dish unpalatable to you. They drain your energy and make work feel like a chore. The key isn’t to never use them, but to recognize when you’re using them too much and find ways to delegate or minimize their impact.
The Three Stages of Cooking (The Work Process)
Just as a great meal follows a logical progression, work flows through three essential stages. For a truly successful “dish,” you need the right spices (Geniuses) to shine at each phase:
- Ideation: Recipe Creation & Prep (Wonder + Invention) This is where you dream up the dish and gather your ingredients. Some people love this phase — pondering possibilities, creating new combinations, imagining flavors. If this energizes you, you’re probably a natural Wonderer or Inventor.
- Activation: The Sizzling Tadka (Discernment + Galvanizing) Here’s where the magic happens: the tadka (tempering) phase. This is where you heat the oil, add key spices, and create that sizzling moment that transforms everything. In work terms, this is where ideas get their critical evaluation and people get passionately excited about making them happen. This is where Discernment and Galvanizing become crucial for success. Lencioni calls this the “missing piece” in many organizations – projects often fail because people skip this vital ‘tadka’ of evaluation and enthusiasm.
- Implementation: The Long Simmer & Finish (Enablement + Tenacity) This is where the real cooking happens — the patient stirring, adjusting, and perfecting the dish. It’s less glamorous than the initial spark, but it’s where good ideas become great results. This is the domain of Enablers and the Tenacious, who ensure the dish is cooked to perfection and served.
My Personal Spice Blend
To give you an example, here’s my own Working Genius profile:
- My signature spices (working genius) are Wonder and Discernment. I love pondering over the possibilities and evaluating the feasibility of my ideas.
- My competencies are Invention and Tenacity — I can create solutions and push through to completion when needed.
- My frustrations are Galvanizing and Enablement — rallying people and providing ongoing support drain my energy quickly.
This means I thrive in roles where I can explore possibilities and provide strategic judgment, but I need partners who can energize teams and provide consistent support.
Cooking Up a More Joyful Career
Once you know your signature spice blend, here’s how to use it:
- Plan Your Menu Mindfully: Start your week by looking at your tasks and identifying which ones align with your signature spices. Try to front-load these activities when your energy is highest, just like how you’d prepare the most complex dishes when you’re freshest.
- Master the Three-Stage Process: If you’re naturally good at Ideation, find colleagues who excel at Activation and Implementation. If you’re an Implementation expert, partner with strong Ideation and Activation people. The most successful projects flow smoothly through all three stages.
- Create Your Kitchen Brigade: Just like professional kitchens have specialists for different stations, build relationships with colleagues whose signature spices complement yours. Trade tasks so everyone gets to work in their zone of genius more often.
- Communicate Your Flavor Profile: Share your Working Genius assessment results with your team. When everyone knows each other’s signature spices, collaboration becomes as smooth as a perfectly balanced curry.
The Recipe for Work That Doesn’t Suck
Understanding your work spice blend doesn’t mean you’ll never have to do tasks you dislike. You will. That’s life. Even the best cooks still have to chop onions.
But it gives you something better: clarity. About why some parts of work leave you energized and others leave you limp. About where to lean in—and when to ask for help or partner smarter. About how to build a work life that tastes like you.
Because when you know your signature spices, you don’t just survive the workweek—you flavor it your way.
So, what’s your spice blend? Are you the Black Pepper Inventor who kicks in the heat? Or the Turmeric Discerner who knows exactly what’ll work (and what won’t)?
I’d love to know. Drop your flavor combo in the comments—and let’s make work a little less bland and draining, together. Because life’s too short for bland work and overcooked dreams. Om Shanti!🙏
📌 Want to browse all the books I’ve recommended so far?
I’ve gathered them on my Curated Reads page, where you’ll find quick summaries and easy purchase links (for both Indian and global readers) in one convenient place.
