Origins

Zone of genius is a simple framework created by psychologist Gay Hendricks.

What is it?

Zone of Genius is a simple tool to help people reflect on what it is they (or others) are truly and uniquely good at (and what they're not). It's similar to the Japanese concept of Ikigai.

Within the framework there are four zones:

• Zone of Incompetence - there is an obvious misalignment here. Lacking the necessary skills to do this well. Others do this much better.
• Zone of Competence - doing a fine job of these things but others can do it better.
• Zone of Excellence - better than others at this, but these things don't give you energy.
• Zone of Genius - you're great at these things and you love to do them

In many ways the 'Zone of Excellence' is the dangerous one. Many of us learn things that we're good at in life but that we actually don't enjoy. I became a product exec in startups, had plenty of success, but ultimately I found large parts of the job draining, for example.

Sometimes the 'Zone of Genius' might serve as an opportunity to reflect on whether or not you're in the right career. But it can also be used to better identify which parts of your role are those that you should double down on and where there may be opportunity to delegate or collaborate with others (for whom that thing might be in their zone of genius)