Emma's Story
A Leadership Tale
In a bustling city where buildings touched the sky and innovation pulsed the air like electricity, lived a leader named Emma. As the visionary CEO of TechVision, a trailblazing tech company renowned for its breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, Emma seemed to have it all. Yet, beneath the surface of her professional triumphs, a restless energy stirred.
Emma felt something was missing with her leadership style. She yearned for a deeper connection with her team, to inspire not just through her ideas but through genuine, heartfelt leadership, to create a healthy organisation based on a culture of trust.
One day, while reading a book on ancient philosophies, Emma came across a concept that struck a chord with her: self-awareness.
The idea was simple yet profound – to understand and lead oneself was the key to understanding and leading others effectively. She realised she needed to lead herself before she could effectively lead her team. Intrigued, Emma embarked on a journey of self-discovery.
During this journey, Emma met an executive leadership coach named Alex. Alex was renowned for his results-oriented approach to leadership development, integrating modern business strategies with deep self-awareness techniques.
Alex introduced Emma to Patrick Lencioni’s concepts of ‘The 6 Types of Working Genius’ and ‘The Five Dysfunctions of a Team’.
The 6 Types of Working Genius categorises work activities into 6 essential and distinct types that each contribute to a successful team dynamic and work output.
1. Wonder: To ponder and ask questions.
2. Invention: To generate new ideas and solutions.
3. Discernment: Using instinct and intuition to assess situations and make sound judgments.
4. Galvanizing: Rallying people into action.
5. Enablement: Providing support and assistance to others.
6. Tenacity: Driving projects to completion.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team outlines common challenges teams face, that hinder team effectiveness.
1. Absence of Trust: The fear of being vulnerable prevents team members from building trust with each other.
2. Fear of Conflict: The desire to preserve artificial harmony stifles productive ideological conflict within the team.
3. Lack of Commitment: The lack of clarity and/or buy-in prevents team members from making decisions they stick to.
4. Avoidance of Accountability: The need to avoid interpersonal discomfort prevents team members from holding each other accountable for their behaviours and performance.
5. Inattention to Results: The pursuit of individual goals and personal status erodes the team's focus on collective success.
Alex's coaching sessions were transformative for Emma. Along with all the aspects you would expect from a professional coach, from being a sounding board, someone to really listen to you, keep you aligned, hold you to account, share experiences and sometimes give advice when required, Alex helped Emma discover her 2 Working Geniuses: Wonder and Discernment. He helped her see how these strengths had energised her and driven her success in innovation and strategic decision-making to date.
She also discovered her Working Competencies, Invention and Galvanizing; those things she didn’t mind doing, but not all the time, and finally the areas where she struggled, her Working Frustrations: Enablement and Tenacity. The realisation that it’s ok to be inspired by some things and frustrated by others was a key piece of learning for Emma, it enabled her to stop feeling guilty about her shortcomings, and to stop judging others when they were struggling with certain types of work.
Emma started her mornings by reflecting on her thoughts, emotions, and actions, a practice Alex encouraged to deepen her self-awareness. She began journaling her experiences, noting moments of joy, times of frustration, times when she felt like she was on the hamster wheel going round and round and round, as well as times of reflection and learning, and wondering about what might need to change.
With Alex’s observations, constructive feedback, strong support, and his willingness to tell the kind truth for the greater good, Emma realised how her moods and reactions influenced her and her team. She noticed that her impatience during stressful times often led to a tense work environment, causing friction, lack of clarity, stifling creativity and collaboration.
Determined to change, Emma introduced a new approach to leadership at TechVision. She started by sharing her journey with her team, fostering an environment of openness and vulnerability. Trust came as a result.
Emma encouraged her employees to engage in regular self-reflection, providing resources for mindfulness and emotional intelligence training. She implemented regular, open feedback sessions, not only to hear from her team on specific issues, but also to understand their perspectives, in order to improve her own leadership.
Alex played a pivotal role in integrating The 6 Types of Working Genius into the company culture. He conducted assessments and workshops where employees would identify, share and map out their own areas of Working Genius, Working Competency, and Working Frustration, which helped people feel less guilty about the areas they found frustrating, and reduced judgement placed on others, as people could finally see things from each other’s perspective.
This led Emma to discover the diverse talents within her team and she learned how to leverage these strengths effectively and with dignity. Alex taught her how to create balanced and cohesive teams, where each member’s genius was recognised and utilised, enabling more joy and clarity at work, enhancing collaboration, productivity, work ethics, and team morale.
Understanding the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team further helped Emma navigate her teams’ complex dynamics. She realised that the absence of trust was a foundational issue.
Emma took deliberate steps to build trust by being vulnerable and transparent about her own challenges, sharing her Working Genius areas, and encouraging her team to do the same. This vulnerability endeared her to her team, and she realised that vulnerability-based trust was one of the fastest and most practical ways to start forming a cohesive team.
She promoted a culture where healthy conflict was seen as a pathway to better solutions, rather than something to be avoided. She found that providing a safe place for conflict allowed people to speak up and give their opinions, and she realised that people would still commit to, and fully support, a decision, as long as they were able to voice their opinions, even if the final decision didn’t align with their original thoughts.
As Emma became more self-aware and attuned to the working geniuses and the dysfunctions within her team, she noticed a ripple effect throughout the company. Communication improved as people started using new language, which led to clarity on deliverables, and everyone started to feel in control.
Her team began to talk more openly, sharing their ideas and concerns without fear of judgement, or feeling inferior. Innovation soared as employees felt valued and understood. TechVision's office transformed into a hub of creativity, productivity, and mutual respect, with shared purpose, clarity, and renewed energy.
One pivotal moment in Emma's journey came during a major project deadline. The team was under immense pressure, and old habits threatened to resurface.
Instead of reverting to her former, high-strung approach, Emma took a step back. She acknowledged her stress, communicated her thoughts and feelings honestly with her team, and encouraged them to share their thoughts and experiences, to be able to make the most informed decisions.
They identified who among them had the geniuses of Enablement and Tenacity, to help drive the project to completion. Together, they devised a plan to manage the workload without compromising their well-being.
The project was a success, not just because it was completed on time and within budget, but because it was completed with a sense of unity and mutual support; alignment and accountability were key.
Alex’s ongoing support acted like a GPS for Emma, guiding her through personal, team, cultural, and business challenges. He helped her navigate difficult decisions, maintain her self-awareness, and stay true to her values. His insights and encouragement were invaluable, enabling Emma to lead towards the destination with confidence and compassion.
Emma’s self-awareness and vulnerability helped cultivate a resilient and adaptive team, capable of overcoming challenges with collective strength and empathy. They avoided the dysfunctions of lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results by maintaining strong communication channels and feedback loops, actively listening to each other, creating clarity on their shared goals, holding each other accountable, and keeping their focus on the collective success of the project as a team (rather than as a collection of individuals vaguely aiming in a similar direction).
By integrating ‘The 6 Types of Working Genius’ and addressing ‘The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team’ in her self-awareness practices, along with Alex’s expert support and guidance, Emma unlocked new levels of team synergy and productivity, and the organisation was finally healthy. Her legacy was not just in the tech innovations her company produced and the projects they delivered, but in the hearts and minds of the people she led.
Years later, as Emma looked back on her journey, she realised that being a leader wasn’t about having all the answers or never making mistakes. It was about understanding herself better, embracing vulnerability, and leading with authenticity.
She had created a culture where self-awareness and the recognition of each person's unique talents were the cornerstones of success. In doing so, she had not only transformed her company but also enriched countless lives.
Emma led not just with her mind, but with her heart, and leveraged the diverse strengths of her team, while overcoming the common dysfunctions that often plague others.
Emma’s journey inspired many within and beyond TechVision, proving that true leadership starts with oneself. When interviewed about her success, she was once asked ‘what makes the best type of leader?’, she simply and confidently replied, ‘a self-aware leader’.