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Founder of Abe’s Audio, Abe Udy, shares how they’ve tapped into the individual ‘geniuses’ of their team – and how you can too.
In most workplaces, people are generally measured by how much they can do or how well they perform. But what if the real differentiator of great teams isn’t just output or skill alone, but energy and flow?
That’s the core idea behind the 6 Types of Working Genius. We’ve been using this framework for over four years at Abe’s, and it’s been liberating for many of us.
Realising how our ‘geniuses’ all work together and how work that might drain one person is effortless for another has been eye-opening. (I personally hate ‘finishing’ detailed tasks – but luckily we have people who love it!)
It’s also been helpful in our recruitment and people management, and shifts the conversation from “What are you good at?” to a far more revealing question: “What kind of work gives you energy – and what drains you?”
Understanding our geniuses hasn’t just improved individual productivity. It’s changed how our team collaborates, makes decisions, and ultimately gets work done.
The 6 Types of Working Genius
There are a number of different StrengthsFinder tools available for businesses. We chose Working Genius because we found it very practical, non-judgmental, and easy to implement.
At its heart, the Working Genius model breaks work into six “geniuses”. The thinking is that people generally have:
- Two geniuses (natural, effortless, energising strengths)…
- Two competencies (neither drains nor energises, but not your sweet spot)…
- Two frustrations (draining, hard work, not a natural fit).
1. The Genius of Wonder
The ability to step back and ask, “I wonder what would happen if…..?”
These individuals are naturally curious. They spot gaps, opportunities, and untapped potential that others miss.
2. The Genius of Invention
The creative spark.
They take ideas and turn them into something new – solutions, concepts, or strategies that didn’t exist before.
3. The Genius of Discernment
The intuitive evaluator.
They instinctively know what will work and what won’t, offering judgment and insight that helps refine ideas.
4. The Genius of Galvanising
The motivator and mobilizer.
They rally people, create momentum, and get teams moving from thinking to action.
5. The Genius of Enablement
The supporter.
They jump in to help, encourage, and ensure others succeed – often acting as the glue that keeps projects progressing.
6. The Genius of Tenacity
The finisher.
They push work across the line, ensuring tasks are completed and results are achieved.
Do any of these resonate with you?
(My geniuses are galvanising and invention.)
Work Isn’t One ‘Thing’ – It’s a Flow
One of the most powerful insights from Working Genius is this:
Work happens in a sequence, not in isolation.
Every project or task moves through stages:
(An easy way to remember them is to use the word WIDGET)
- Wonder →
- Invention →
- Discernment →
- Galvanizing →
- Enablement →
- Tenacity.
When teams struggle, it’s often not because people aren’t capable – it’s because the wrong types of genius are being applied at the wrong time.
A Real-World Challenge
18 months ago, we faced a huge challenge. The rise of AI threatened to upend our voiceover business model overnight, and as the tech improved, we saw the threat continuing to grow. Yes, human creativity was (and will always be) at the heart of our business; however, rapidly changing technology threatened to completely undermine the business.
We asked ourselves the question: ‘Do we fully lean into AI, or double down as a human-only creative business?’
And this was the power of Working Genius.
We began with wonder and leaned into our team with that strength. They wondered what the future might hold, what might happen if we didn’t lean into AI, what might happen if we did. They wondered what our clients would expect, where the industry was headed, and what might become second nature in the not-too-distant future.
They didn’t have the answer, but they had the questions.
Then, over to the inventors. They began to think about what might be possible, how we could leverage the tech while keeping humans at the centre. They began to create and scratch ideas together. What if we could somehow create AI models of real human talent, and get the best of both worlds?
Our discerners were next. These people helped refine the idea – knowing what would and wouldn’t work – almost intuitively. Discerners aren’t the ones to invent an idea, but they generally know if it’s a good (or bad) one. These people worked with the inventors to enhance the idea – trimming parts that wouldn’t work, and adding parts that would.
Once we had a product, our galvanisers needed to rally our voice talent and staff, explain what we were doing and why, and get everyone on board. (Interestingly, galvanisers often have the smallest representation in any team. Abe’s Audio only has two!)
Finally, enablement and tenacity. Working hand in hand, these geniuses are the people who got this project finished. The coders, process specialists, and technical experts who got into the weeds to finalise what the service would look like. Policies, rate cards, spreadsheets, app development – it all needed to happen to actually have a service to offer our clients.
Once we’d moved through this sequence and tapped into the various geniuses of our team, Ethical AI voiceovers was born!
Final Thought
Great teamwork isn’t about everyone being the same – or equally good at everything. It’s about leaning into your genius and the genius of those around you, at the right time. And when people lean into their genius, their work is much more enjoyable.
It’s been powerful to see this used in practical ways within our team, and I encourage you to apply the same principles in yours. If you’re interested, you can download the Working Genius assessment tool here.