Finding your Zone of Genius

Finding fulfilment in your work comes when you move into your Zone of Genius and don’t get trapped in the Zone of Excellence

In the CEO Coaching I do I work with CEOs to define and embrace their zone of genius. A CEO working in their Zone of Genius is unstoppable.

In his excellent book, Gay Hendricks, when describing living a fulfilled life defines the Zone of Genius.

If we plot what we do across two axis:

• Love vs Hate
• Skilled vs Poor

We get the follow four zones of fulfilment:

1. Zone of Incompetence:

Tasks or skills you struggle with, where others are better suited. These drain your energy and should be delegated or avoided.

Examples for me:

• Tennis, I’m dreadful and I don’t enjoy it
• Proofreading, again terrible (as you may have seen over the years). I love to write but hate to edit.

2. Zone of Competence:

Tasks you can do adequately, but others can do just as well or better. These don’t bring you joy or leverage your strengths.

• Repairing cars: I really enjoying tinkering with cars but I’m not skilled.I could never be a professional mechanic.
• Admin: I can do it, but my gosh I don’t love it. But I hired someone who does

3. Zone of Excellence:

Activities you’re highly skilled at and often rewarded for. They feel comfortable but may lack a sense of deep fulfilment or purpose.

• Spreadsheets and numbers: I’m great at running numbers, setting tangible goals but I don’t love it.
• Managing a large team: I can do it and I can do it well, does it fill my heart with joy? Alas no.

4. Zone of Genius:

The sweet spot where your unique talents and passions align. Activities here feel effortless, energising, and meaningful, enabling your highest impact.

• Making sense of a huge mess: I do this well and I love doing it
• Uncovering unique abilities, seeing truths: I can see the kernel of problem quickly and am always searching for truth
• Overcoming challenge: I love a meaty challenge and don’t shy away from them

Everyone has a unique set talents that sit in their Zone of Genius and when you lean into them, that’s when you get true enjoyment and most important of all, flow.

Danger ahead

Many of the CEOs I coach get trapped doing things they don’t love; Visionary Founders implementing a process, Incredible manager CEOs tasked with creating a vision. Being trapped in your Zone of Excellence requires you to try harder, muster enthusiasm often do tasks that drain you of energy. Long term draining of that energy can led to disillusionment and sometime burnout.

Moving to your Zone of Genius

It all starts with understanding what energises you. A great place to start is to list the things that energise you and the things that drain you. Here’s a free template to help you do that.

What patterns do you see? What can you delegate? Remember what drains you may be someone else’s Zone of Genius.