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Writer's pictureC. Lloyd Brown

10X Your Life With Teamwork


Just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean it brings you joy. Think about that for a minute: what things are you good at that just don’t energize you? Are you doing them just to fill a checklist? Using your time on tasks you’re good at but aren’t in your area of genius has very little impact, and your unique genius is that part of your life where you have the greatest impact. Because of this, it’s important to define what impact means to you.


As an Evangelizing Innovator, to define what impact means to me, I have to look at my WHY (To be a person of influence, not position, and help others achieve their goals so at the end of my life God will say to me, ‘Well done my good and faithful servant,’ and that people who know me would wish they had just one more day) and see how I’m using my genius to be a person of influence who helps other achieve their goals.


In doing so, I am doing what God’s will is for me in my life, and am therefore being a good and faithful servant, and the real impact is that those that know and love me wish for one more day.


This goes back to what we’re learning about the cost of failure and what Bruce Wilkinson talks about in his book, Secrets of the Vine: the “fruit” is never the purpose–it’s the result of the purpose. I’m striving to work in my area of genius so that I can have the greatest impact. I’m not working in my genius to be rich, or to be well-known, I’m doing what will have the greatest impact in my life, and for me that’s focusing on relationships.


Just like with boundaries--we implement them to protect relationships and reputation, that’s the impact we’re going for. The fruit is compensation, success, a flourishing business. Those are the fruits of following what we’re called to do, not the purpose of it.


In both 10x is Easier than 2x and Who Not How, there is a lot of discussion about time, and how it’s our most valuable resource. It’s one thing we can’t make more of. When we’re doing the things that are unique to us, a valuable fruit is freeing up more time, because we’re not tied to the activities we engage in to make us “feel busy” rather than the ones that are actually productive.


Here in West Texas, we’re all raised to be tenacious. We’re taught that we finish what we start, and if you don’t like it, too bad. The “suck it up buttercup” mentality is pervasive, when actually God didn’t intend for us all to be the finisher. He meant for us to live in community with one another, and created someone whose genius is to start the fire, then another whose genius is to fan the flame. The next person’s genius is being patient to wait for what’s being produced (that’s the refiner who waits for the impurities in the metal to be burned away). And so on, throughout the entire process.


Each person is a cog in the Working Genius WIDGET. Rugged individualism is the opposite of Working Genius. It’s also the opposite of who God calls us to be because it’s the opposite of the body of Christ, saying that one part of the body (the finisher) is more important than the others—and that’s not true. That’s where Patrick Lencioni nails it with Working Genius.

If I’m focusing the bulk of my time working on the 20% that is my area of genius, and I have someone handling the 80% that isn’t, I can bring the level of excellence of that 20% to a place I’ve never seen before.


This process benefits my whole team too; one day, if I’m not in my current role anymore, and my team knows what their working genius is, they can replace me with someone else who does the 80% they are not gifted to do. That’s the beauty of the team!


Even better, when you transition out of a certain relationship or role, you can take on the responsibility of bringing on someone who has a similar working genius, and take them through the EDGE process to do what you do to be the right person for your partner(s), and vice versa.


This team-building approach applies to interpersonal relationships too. The saying is that “opposites attract,” and this is why! We are attracted to someone who covers our weakness. If we don’t have that awareness, though, we start to resent others for who they are, because we’re not them—instead of realizing that was the whole purpose of why we were together in the first place. My wife Lora and I are a perfect example of that. I’m an IG, which is an evangelizing innovator and she’s a loyal finisher.


An "evangelizing innovator" combines the two strengths of Innovation and Galvanizing. I’m not only good at coming up with innovative ideas but also excel at promoting and rallying others around these ideas. This combination makes a powerful agent of change and inspiration within a team.


A “loyal finisher” combines the strengths of Enablement and Tenacity. She is committed to seeing tasks through to the end and is a dependable team member who provides consistent support and follow-through. Her loyalty and dedication help ensure that projects are completed successfully and on time.


If you utilize Working Genius to build a team where everyone’s weaknesses are covered, and Who Not How to make sure you’re focusing on the 20% of your life that you’re best at, the 10x life is that much easier to pursue.

 

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