Episode Summary: "Square Peg, Round Hole"

The Working Genius Podcast, Episode 100 (November 18, 2025)
Host: Patrick Lencioni | Co-host: Cody Thompson

Main Theme:

Getting Your Working Genius Type Right—Why It Matters

In their 100th episode, Patrick Lencioni and Cody Thompson explore the subtle but significant pain points that arise when people misunderstand or misrepresent their Working Genius type. They dive into the implications of “square peg, round hole” situations—when either you or those around you operate under a mistaken understanding of which types of work are truly life-giving or draining for you. The conversation is aimed at liberating listeners from common pitfalls and helping everyone reach new clarity and fulfillment in their work, teams, and relationships.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Danger of Misidentifying Your Genius

• Mislabeling Is Detrimental:
  • When people claim to have a genius that isn’t theirs, or are mis-typed, it creates confusion and friction for both themselves and their teams.
  • Quote: “It’s not a good thing to market yourself as having a genius that you don’t have. ... It’s harder for people to give you grace.” – Patrick (00:00, 12:43)
• Team Impact:
  • Others attempt to leverage your “stated” genius, which leads to mismatched expectations, unmet needs, and frustration for all parties.
  • Patrick recounts working with someone who claimed one type but was later found to be another, resulting in a completely different (and better) working relationship. (02:11–05:34)
• Self-Understanding is Crucial:
  • Operating via an incorrect wiring diagram is “really harmful and limiting.” (01:38)
  • If you embrace the wrong label, you may end up doing work you dislike or feel like a constant misfit.

The Nuance of Activities and Genius Types

• Don’t Equate Surface Behaviors with Types:
  • Example: Being a good public speaker doesn’t prove you have the Galvanizing (G) genius. It matters which aspects of the activity bring you life—new ideas, enabling others, or rallying a team? (05:51–07:42)
  • Cody shares a story about a team member initially typed as a galvanizer due to public speaking skills, but who really thrived in Enablement (E).
  • Patrick: “...when I speak, I have enablement. And I love watching people win.” (06:52)
• The ‘Why’ Trumps the ‘What’:
  • Dig deeper to understand what’s energizing about an activity, not just its surface traits.

The Friction of Forced Fit

• Assessment Accuracy:
  • Answering assessments based on external expectations or unrelated desires (e.g., parents, previous job roles) can lead astray.
  • Patrick: “No test ... is going to be 100% accurate. ... Some of them ... with W [Wonder] ... people tend to underestimate a little bit.” (09:22–10:36)
• Listen to Your Body and Experiences:
  • “This feels off to me.” – Cody relays working with someone whose assessment felt inaccurate until they reviewed the vivid, descriptive results. (08:06–09:22)
• Analogies:
  • Patrick likens the mismatch to giving someone ice cream who is secretly lactose intolerant—they appear to “like” the idea, but it’s a misfit in reality. (04:23)
  • “If a guy came and said, ‘Hey, I’m good at rebounding. ... Don’t expect me to shoot.’ ... But when you try to portray yourself as being good at something you’re not, it is so bad for you and for everybody else around you.” – Patrick (14:02)

Most Commonly Misidentified Geniuses

• Wonder (W) and Enablement (E):
  • W is often under-acknowledged; people ignore or underestimate their questioning, pondering nature.
  • E types sometimes serve so flexibly that they “chameleon” into other roles, masking their foundational genius. (11:11)
• Spiritual Overlaps and Language Confusions:
  • Some conflate discernment (D) in Working Genius—with its gut, pattern-recognizing nature—with spiritual discernment. This results in claiming a genius they don’t actually possess, leading to disappointment and tension. (11:49)

Practical Implications: Teams, Trust, and Fulfillment

• Team Friction Is Observable (14:16):
  • If a teammate claims Tenacity (T) but doesn’t finish tasks, the friction quickly reveals the “lie.”
  • Patrick: “It’s an observable thing ... It’s repeatedly looking at work or projects that we do and saying ... if you had that, you would have done this differently, you would have enjoyed this more.” (14:16–15:21)
• Some Types Are Easy to Claim, Others Rarely Faked:
  • Galvanizing (G) is rarely faked—people who don’t have it won’t claim it; G can be quickly observed by discomfort when asked to rally others.
  • D (Discernment) and W (Wonder) are internal and easier for people to misinterpret or miscommunicate.
• Ultimate Message:
  • “As soon as the square peg fits into the square hole, it just slides right in and suddenly everybody breathes a sigh of relief ... I totally get you. I understand what you’re great at. I can celebrate you. And when I ask you to do something that’s not yours, I’m going to have a ton of grace for you.” – Patrick (16:23)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Self-Acceptance and Team Grace:
  • “When you advertise yourself as having a genius you don’t, it’s harder for people to give you grace.” (12:43, Patrick)
• On Living with the Wrong Label:
  • “To sell yourself as something else is a lose, lose. ... you’re frustrated or drained by every time you do it.” (13:05, Cody)
• Real Talk about Daily Work:
  • “That would be like me going on the first date with my wife and be like, ‘You know what I’m great at is checking things off lists and doing the lawn care.’ ... and then having to live up to that expectation for the rest of our marriage.” (13:05, Cody)
• On the Power of Genuine Fit:
  • “When people accept and understand what they really are … it’s such a win win for everybody.” (16:23, Patrick)
• On the Final Takeaway:
  • “Stop when you’re done, and we’re done.” (17:27, Patrick)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–01:38: Why authenticity in genius type matters; intro to the “square peg, round hole” concept.
• 03:28–05:34: Real-life consequences of mislabeling types in a team context.
• 05:51–07:42: Nuances in misinterpreting surface-level skills (e.g., speaking ≠ galvanizing).
• 08:06–09:22: Correcting a “wrong fit” in a workshop setting.
• 09:22–11:11: The pitfalls of high school career tests and underestimating Wonder (W).
• 11:11–12:43: Enablement’s (E) “chameleon” challenge and discernment confusions.
• 14:02–15:21: Analogies for mislabeling and the value of observable team behaviors.
• 16:23–17:27: Summary, encouragement for honest self-reflection, and the “win win” of getting it right.

Tone & Conclusion

The conversation is energetic, humorous, and direct, full of analogies and banter that make deep points accessible. Patrick and Cody encourage listeners to be honest with themselves and their teams, to resist wishful thinking about their genius, and to appreciate the freedom and connection that comes from landing on the right type.

Big Takeaway:
Get your type right—be honest, stay curious, and help others do the same. The relief and momentum your team can gain is well worth the effort.