In his 2009 book The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level, Dr. Gay Hendricks introduces readers to his Zone of Genius framework. Your Zone of Genius is the talent or area of native knowledge that comes to you so naturally, you perform it effortlessly and, usually, happily for hours at a time. Hendricks sees always operating in your Zone of Genius as the way you contribute best to the world.
While the author asserts the concept applies to all areas of your life, small-business owners who work consistently in “the zone” can experience a higher quality and more profitable business life. “Operating in your Zone of Genius lights you up and energizes you, so it’s something you’d do free if you couldn’t monetize your native knowledge or talent,” says business coach Tar’kesa Colvin of T. Colvin Consulting.
But, says Colvin, “Working outside your Zone of Genius can lead to costly business mistakes and losses.”
The Zones Framework Explained
Fully understanding the importance of Hendricks’ Zone of Genius model means understanding the three other zones in the framework where you could work, what they mean, and why the Zone of Genius is best. Keep in mind the definitions of strength, talent, and skill according to The Manager’s Handbook by Alex MacCaw, founder of tech firm Clearbit, who tested its concepts at his own company. He uses Hendricks’ framework in his book.
MacCaw tells readers that a strength energizes you, a talent is an innate ability that you can’t be taught, and a skill is something you can learn. Your Zone of Genius is the intersection of the three, according to MacCaw.
Here are the other three zones of Hendricks’ framework and what to understand about them. You’ll likely recognize those where you are working or have operated.
Zone of Incompetence
Hendricks defines this zone as “made up of all the activities we’re not good at” that others do far better than us. In a business, this most obvious lack of talent or skills in this zone often leads to a misalignment between people and tasks, MacCaw explains in his book.
“These are the tasks you don’t know how to do, but you try to save money or time or because you don’t like delegating,” says Colvin. “They cost your business money and cause you significant stress.” Colvin agrees with McGraw that someone else should do these tasks.
Zone of Competence
These are activities you’re competent doing, but others can do just as well, Hendricks tells readers. He finds that successful people often concentrate far too much of their time and energy on this zone. MacCaw says people may be good at these tasks, but because others are better at them, those people should do them.
“People stay in this and the previous zone because they believe they can get better at these tasks,” says Colvin. “We’re trained from childhood to strengthen our weakness, and we spend significant time doing that," she explains. “I work with clients to overcome that tendency so they can earn more money in their businesses and have less stress.”
Zone of Excellence
These are activities you excel at and can make a good living doing, Hendricks explains in his book. But he also sees this as a “seductive and dangerous trap” that keeps people taking the big leap into their Zone of Genius. Colvin explains this zone is usually one where you’ve learned a series of skills well enough to be excellent at the work, “but it’s important not to confuse learned skills with Zone of Genius.” For example, she says, “I learned driving skills, and I have been driving for years, but it’s not a Zone of Genius.”
You best determine your Zone of Genius by taking time and evaluating what you’ve done over several days. [...] Then, you review that lists of tasks and see which ones made you feel excited doing them.
—Tar’kesa Colvin, business coach, T. Colvin Consulting
MacCaw says people operating in this zone are technically excellent in this area, but they often burn out after a short time working in this zone. “You don’t stay happy here,” agrees Colvin, “and, like the previous zones, that can lead to mental health challenges as you get depressed but may not know what’s missing in your professional life.” Hendricks tells readers he experienced this, which began his journey to figuring out and operating only in his Zone of Genius.
Operating in Your Zone of Genius
But all three experts agree that your Zone of Genius, your area of innate talent where you can perform related tasks effortlessly, is a liberating space for you to work, and that you shouldn’t endeavor to operate in any other zone. Hendricks encourages people to build their home and live in their Zone of Genius where they experience true creativity and abundance, because full expression of their genius is possible there.
“You provide top customer service and can generate the most revenue here while maintaining the best mental and physical health," says Colvin. “That’s because you’re operating in your natural flow.”
How to Find and Work in Your Zone of Genius
Hendricks provides four “Genius Questions” for you to answer to find your Zone of Genius.
- What do I love to do most?
- What work do I do that doesn’t seem like work?
- What work produces the highest ratio of abundance and satisfaction to the time I spend on that work?
- What is my unique ability?
The first two questions help you determine what you do for long periods of time, often for hours or all day, without feeling tired or bored. The third question identifies activities that, even doing for a few seconds or minutes, ideas or deeper connections with others happen that lead to significant payoff.
The fourth question helps you determine your gifts, those things you can do like no one else can. “They are activities that you’re so adept at doing, you take them for granted and don’t believe you can monetize them or get more money than you are for them,” says Colvin.
“You best determine your Zone of Genius by taking time and evaluating what you’ve done over several days,” Colvin explains. “Then, you review that lists of tasks and see which ones made you feel excited doing them.” You’ll feel lit up when you see those activities, she adds. Those are the tasks you’re typically thrilled to do, even if they have challenging elements.
Of course, you can sign up for paid evaluations online to help you identify talents. Those tools might be helpful if you’re operating so far from your genius, the "Genius Questions" activity above doesn't result in identifying your Zone of Genius. “In that case, it’s likely you don’t recognize your talents because those around you don’t have them,” she explains. "You think they have no marketplace value or you’re undercharging for them, making that work frustrating or unfruitful.”
She tells the story of a client who was trying to shift from being a minister to a business owner. “He had been a crisis counselor, and that was his natural talent,” she says. But this client didn’t see profit in that alone. “He was doing other things in his businesses to make money, and not focusing solely on that Zone of Genius – crisis counseling,” she says. “Once I helped him restructure his business so he could emphasize his Zone of Genius, he earned his first high six-figure government contract.”
After you identify your Zone of Genius, you can restructure and rebrand your business to promote yours profitably. Competition isn’t usually an issue with your Zone of Genius, because you can develop strategies or products like no one else. That combined with the unique energy and personality you display operating in your Zone of Genius can lead to more people buying from you.
Zone of Genius in Hiring and Partnering
Business owners and their employees should hire, partner, and operate with their Zone of Genius in mind. While there are tasks you wouldn’t love doing all day, there are others for whom it’s their Zone of Genius. “I love talking business strategy, but I don’t enjoy crunching numbers,” says Colvin. “So, I outsource that to someone whose Zone of Genius it is, and I stay in my genius lane.”
Applying this framework is critical for employers because it helps foster positive employee experience in your workplace. “There's something to be said about fostering an environment that feeds everyone’s Zone of Genius,” Colvin says. "Hiring employees based on their Zone of Genius cuts down on hiring the wrong people, turnover, and on paying sick time or for leaves of absence,” she adds.
The same is true for partnering with other business owners. Carefully screen them to determine if they’re offering their Zone of Genius work to clients or customers before you partner with them. It’s usually obvious by the uniqueness of their offerings and how they align with their personality and energy. Make sure their skills are complementary to yours. "The perfect collaboration for me is the person who is strong where I am weak, and vice versa,” says Colvin. “It makes for stronger, more productive, and more profitable business partnership.”
