If your team members are underperforming, and you have a higher turnover rate than normal while searching for that perfect team, it may be time to look for issues higher up the chain. The idea that a business’s CEO could cause issues isn’t unknown, but it can feel harsh when that CEO is you. Still, we all have to take responsibility for our shortcomings. So, if you’re having trouble organizing (or keeping) your team members, you may want to look at their zone of genius.
What is the zone of genius?
The zone of genius is that sweet spot where your talent, passion, and strengths intersect to give you a sense of satisfaction and joy.
Think of a time when you worked on a project that you enjoyed. You were zoned in, felt confident and sure of your decisions, and came away with a deep sense of pride or satisfaction.
That’s your zone of genius.
Your team members are the same way. They need to experience their zone of genius to be fulfilled at work, and you can help them do that by avoiding these common pitfalls.
Extra or Unrelated Work
If you hired a team member for a specific job, don’t give them extra work that doesn’t pertain to that job.
For example, you wouldn’t expect a copywriter to handle tech support tasks. You also wouldn’t ask a graphic artist to handle payroll. These tasks are outside their zone of genius and can cause confusion and stagnation in the business.
By keeping your team members in the roles you hired them for, they’ll feel more confident in their position and are more likely to find their zone of genius as they work on projects they enjoy. However, that does require some insight into their strengths, mindset, and personality.
One of the best ways to collect this information is by giving your team a personality test. I recommend the 16Personalities assessment, the Kolbe Assessment ($55), or a DISC test ($90). All three of these assessments can identify your team member’s strengths, weaknesses, and personality, and give you suggestions on their perfect roles within the company.
The downside is that you have to understand how to read the results. Thankfully, most of them come with guides to help you decipher the information gleaned during the test. Then, you can put that information to good use and get your team where they belong.
Lack of Communication
When your team makes a mistake, it’s easy to tell them “Hey, this is wrong.” However, when they repeatedly make the same mistakes, we often want to ignore the feedback and fix the problem ourselves to save time.
However, that lack of feedback is part of the problem.
If you don’t communicate with your team in a way they understand, then they have no reason to improve and will eventually stop trying.
The key is to understand their communication styles and use them to offer honest feedback. For example, if team member A responds well to voice notes, send them voice notes. If team member B responds to Loom videos, send them Loom videos.
The key is that you’re giving them feedback (so they can learn) and doing it in a way that they can easily process and implement. Then, they can grow into their zone of genius and get your business on the right path.
Undefined Expectations
Hiring a new team member is exciting, but you can’t hire them without defined roles and expectations. Otherwise, they may feel unsure of their position and growth opportunities within the company, which can lead to low morale and a lack of progress.
The solution is to create individual KPIs your team members can track while they accomplish their tasks. Another idea is to create what I like to call the 4R document. It’s a simple document that outlines your team member’s:
- Roles (their titles and positions within the company)
- Responsibilities (specific jobs within the role)
- Results (grows predictions and timelines)
- Requirements (what they need to succeed)
With the 4R document, they now have a clear-cut explanation of everything they’re doing in the company, which they can reference when needed. Maybe they’ll look at it and say “I need X requirement to meet the next goal” or “My role doesn’t include X responsibility, so I’m good.”
With detailed expectations and responsibilities, your team is more likely to feel confident in their positions and can work autonomously while finding their zone of genius.
Final Thoughts
Every CEO has fallen into one (or more) of these pitfalls, and their business has suffered because of it. If you’re in one now, or you feel like you’re on the verge of collapse, try implementing one of these solutions and see what happens. Give your team a personality test, create defined roles and expectations, and enhance your communication. Then, measure the results.
You’ll be surprised at the change in your team when they can utilize their zone of genius.
