The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni

Episode 96: The Key to Confidence
Date: September 23, 2025
Hosts: Patrick Lencioni (Pat), Cody Thompson

Episode Overview

In this insightful episode, Pat and Cody delve into the concept of confidence, examining common misconceptions and connecting true confidence to self-awareness, humility, and the Working Genius model. They discuss how embracing both strengths and weaknesses leads to authentic confidence, why many struggle with imposter syndrome or overconfidence, and how naming one’s unique gifts—using the Working Genius framework—can fundamentally boost confidence in both personal and professional life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Defining True Confidence vs. Misconceptions

• Distinguishing Confidence from Arrogance:
  • Pat opens by highlighting that confidence is often misunderstood and mistaken for arrogance in today’s culture—especially on social media. (01:14)
  • Defining humility as “correspondence to what is true,” Pat explains that both underconfidence and overconfidence are distortions: “Overconfidence is violation of what is true. So the best thing we can do if we want to be confident is to know what is true and be good with that.” (01:39, Pat)

The Role of Humility

• Humility and Confidence Go Together:
  • True humility isn’t self-deprecation, but accepting strengths and weaknesses honestly.
  • Pat shares: “The best definition of humility is correspondence to what is true… understanding ourselves, what we’re really good at… and what we’re not good at… is the key to confidence.” (01:39, Pat)
  • Cody points out the danger of always underplaying oneself: “A lot of times when we talk about humility, we also talk about the inverse of that, which is kind of underplaying who you are or what your value is.” (02:28, Cody)

Naming Weaknesses Is as Important as Naming Strengths

• Comfort with Limitations Builds Real Confidence:
  • Pat encourages embracing areas of “working frustration” and models this: “If you can get somebody to stand up and say, ‘Yeah, I’m really terrible at something,’ suddenly they’re like, ‘Oh, nobody killed me for saying that… now I can say what I’m good at without feeling like I’m lying.’” (03:41, Pat)

The Communal Power of Vulnerability

• Honesty Creates Space for Others to Share:
  • Cody comments that communal confidence grows when people see each other being open about both strengths and struggles. (04:25)
  • Pat: “It’s not until you know that they’re comfortable saying what they’re bad at that you feel like you can trust them and want to be with them… I admire most in the world… when they acknowledged what they weren’t good at.” (05:28, Pat)

The Working Genius Model as a Confidence Tool

• Adding Language and Evidence to Gifts:
  • Cody notes: “Working genius allows us to put language to the way we’re wired. So if you don’t know who you are – of course it's going to be hard to know what you should be confident in.” (06:19, Cody)
  • Citing Alex Hormozi: “You don’t become confident by shouting affirmations in the mirror, but by having a stack of undeniable proof that you are who you say you are.” (02:28, Cody quoting Hormozi)

Practical Steps to Building Confidence

• Understanding and Articulating Your Working Genius:
  • For those struggling with confidence (children, coworkers, friends), Pat suggests: “The first thing you should do is say, I want you to know who you really are. Give them Working Genius and go over it with them and say, I want you to acknowledge…” (07:05, Pat)
  • Important distinction: gifts are about where you get “joy and energy,” not just ability. (07:05)
  • Being equally bold about what you love and what drains you is both attractive and more impactful than external methods (like public speaking classes). (07:05)

Overconfidence as a Symptom of Insecurity

• The Myth of “All Six Geniuses”:
  • Pat references a person claiming mastery of all “six geniuses”—he explains that this is unrealistic and often rooted in insecurity. (13:57–15:27)
  • “There’s nothing more unattractive than somebody who’s in denial about something that they don’t like and they’re not talented at.” (13:57–15:27, Pat)

Early Confidence through Clarity

• Impact for Young People:
  • Cody and Pat reflect on wishing they’d had this model earlier in life, especially for students exploring their identities. (15:27, Cody)
  • Pat: “What a tragedy if you’re coaching a sport and you need 10 different things and there’s somebody who’s good at a few… and you never talk about it. Everybody has talents in one thing or another.” (16:40, Pat)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Defining Humility:
  “The best definition of humility is correspondence to what is true.” (01:39, Pat)

• Confidence vs. Arrogance:
  “Overconfidence is violation of what is true. The best thing we can do if we want to be confident is to know what is true and to be good with that.” (01:39, Pat)

• Alex Hormozi's Perspective:
  “You don’t become confident by shouting affirmations in the mirror, but by having a stack of undeniable proof that you are who you say you are.” (02:28, Cody quoting Hormozi)

• On Sharing Weaknesses:
  “Sometimes I think if you can get somebody to stand up and say, ‘Yeah, I’m really terrible at something,’ suddenly they’re like, ‘Oh, nobody killed me for saying that…now I can say what I’m good at...’” (03:41, Pat)

• The Importance of Sharing Gifts:
  “If you know somebody in life that doesn’t have confidence… the first thing you should do is say, I want you to know who you really are. Give them Working Genius…” (07:05, Pat)

• Confidence for Young People:
  “If only I knew this back then, it would have prevented me from years of exploration and guilt and shame around things I was not good at.” (15:27, Cody)

• On Overconfidence/Insecurity:
  “Overconfident people are usually insecure because they feel like they have to focus more on what they’re good at and actually helping them get comfortable with saying, ‘Yeah, I don’t like doing those things, and that’s okay.’” (13:57, Pat)

Important Segments with Timestamps

• 00:47 – 02:28: Introduction, definitions of confidence, humility, and the problem of over/underconfidence.
• 02:28 – 06:19: The intersection of confidence, humility, and the need for communal vulnerability.
• 06:19 – 09:53: The power of the Working Genius model; building a foundation of confidence through self-knowledge.
• 09:53 – 15:27: Real-life effects of naming strengths and weaknesses and handling overconfidence/insecurity.
• 15:27 – 18:27: The special relevance for students and younger people in developing confidence early.
• 18:27 – END: Final thoughts—confidence enables you to help others grow confident, reinforcing the Working Genius model as a key to lasting assurance.

Takeaways

• True confidence arises from honest self-assessment—naming both strengths and frustrations—grounded in humility.
• The Working Genius model gives language and evidence for people to own their gifts without arrogance or shame.
• Discussing both strengths and weaknesses publicly builds a trustworthy, productive community.
• Helping others, especially young people, know their genius gives a lasting foundation for confidence.

“The key to confidence is knowing yourself and knowing you can't be great at everything, but you are great at some things.”
(18:48, Pat)