We are updating our basement which we finished 23 years ago. New flooring, paint, lighting ceiling, etc. My job was painting. Included in the painting were new baseboards (over 150 linear feet of it), which needed to be painted, cut to fit, attached and caulked. By the end of the project, I was especially done even before it was done. I came to the closet at the foot of the steps heading into the basement. I stared at it and said to myself, “Will anyone really see if I don’t put new baseboards into that closet? Afterall, it’ll be filled with junk.” Some of you might say, “great question”, but I also suspect some of you will gasp as you can’t understand why I would ask it and can’t imagine not finishing the closet properly. My problem is I don’t have the genius of tenacity, I’m not good at finishing. Knowing that tenacity is a frustration for me, and with no one else to have do it, I hiked up my “big boy pants” and yes, I finished that closet. If you’re curious, my wife was very happy.
The genius of tenacity, which is about pushing tasks across the finish line, of getting things done. People with the genius of tenacity don’t just want them done, they want them to be completed on time and at standard. We need them, they are so extremely valuable because without them, things will be late or not finished at all.
If tenacity is not your genius, it may be hard for you to imagine that someone would get energy that way. That’s common. Recently, I was reviewing results with someone (he’s Wonder/Discernment) who had tenacity as a frustration shaking his head as he said to me, “Seriously? There are people that love that stuff and get energy from it?” The answer of course is “Yes!” They love and take great pride in finishing. My mother had the genius of tenacity. She smiled every morning as she was making her “to do” list for the day, and she smiled too whenever she was able to cross something off the list.
Here are four things about people with tenacity.
- They don’t miss deadlines
- They don’t make excuses
- Failure isn’t in their vocabulary
- They will do whatever it takes to finish
If you are working with someone who has the genius of tenacity, give them clarity and then get out of the way. They hate it when you say things like, “I don’t know” or “whenever you can”. They want to know the expected standard, i.e., what to do want or expect, and when you want it done. With those two pieces of information, their brain kicks into overdrive and immediately begins developing the plans, resources and time that will be needed. They will see the little things that others miss.
Those with tenacity are disruptors, holding others accountable to make certain things get accomplished. If you are late with what you are supposed to accomplish, it causes a problem, so expect to be hounded and reminded. Because of this some will get defensive and use dismissive language like, “you’re too much in the weeds” or “you live in the weeds”. They forget it is the “weeds”, those details that will make certain things get done.
Do they have a weakness? Sure, each genius has them. They can get “in your face”, which makes people uncomfortable. They don’t like ambiguity, causing them to push for a decision before an idea is fully developed. Their aggressiveness can lead to a wrong decision being made quickly, which usually leads to re-work. When they are pushing, it’s okay to say to them, “We will need your tenacity, but right now we need your patience while we develop this idea fully. When it is, we’ll be better able to give you what you need to help us get it across the finish line.”
Celebrate when you have people on your team with tenacity as they’ll make everyone look good by accomplishing so many things.
Don’t build your house and establish a home until your fields are ready, and you are sure that you can earn a living. Proverbs 24:27 (GNT)
If you would like to learn more about the Six Types of Working Genius, for your team where you work, or for yourself, please reach out to me at dale@dalekreienkamp.com.
