Coach, what’s your zone of genius?
Many coaches will say it’s being a good listener or being able to hear more than what’s said.
Those are highly valuable skills and quite common in coaches.
What I’m talking about is a unique talent that, like a fingerprint, becomes central to your brand.
It might be a method that’s all yours. An unusual or rare expertise. A brain child.
Don’t worry if you don’t know yours yet.
It takes time to unfold and awareness to notice.
As your coaching business grows and you serve many clients, your zone of genius may suddenly bloom.
And you leverage it. Have fun with it. Allow it to mature you as a business owner and coach.
My zone of genius is recognizing coaches’ zones of genius.
Let’s talk about how you can be open to yours!
What Good is a Zone of Genius in Coaching?
Well, it can become your niche within your niche. It can open doors for you. You become known and in high demand for this singular thing.
It can be nurtured into something delightful and inspire you to new heights in your business.
Gay Hendricks coined the term, zone of genius, in his book The Big Leap.
You might have heard of this even if you haven’t read his book, because it made a big splash and has stood of test of time. He defined 4 zones:
- incompetence
- competence
- excellence, and
- GENIUS
Most of us operate day to day in those first 3 zones.
- You run up against incompetence and tend to avoid those experiences.
- You find a day-to-day competence in most things and, it’s an acceptable place to hang out in, but not stellar.
- And, in a few areas, you rise to excellence.
When you’re in your zone of excellence, you’re performing better than most people. It feels good and it’s easier than other areas for you.
For me, writing, copy-editing and breaking complex things into doable steps are things I truly enjoy and I’m better at than many, but they are not unique to me.
In your zone of genius, you are literally at your best, in the flow and it comes to you, almost effortlessly.
It’s a natural, innate ability that, at some point, dramatically levels up. Your eyes shine with it and other people can sense it, if they are paying attention.
It’s a state of being where inspiration flows to, through and from you. You feel deeply engaged and energized.
As it supercharges your coaching skills, it awakens something special in clients.
Normalize Not Knowing Your Zone of Genius
As wonderful as it is, the problem with this concept is that it’s not easy to look objectively at yourself and immediately perceive your zone of genius.
Also, it arrives in its own time.
This is not a needle in the haystack problem to solve. You don’t have to go looking for your zone of genius like a dog to a bone. In fact, that’s counterproductive.
Instead watch for it like you would the peak moment of a sunrise. If it doesn’t emerge at all don’t walk away dejected. It’s still a beautiful day!
I remember a point early in my coaching business where a mentor was teaching about finding your passion. I invested in the program and left having NO IDEA what my passion is. I felt abnormal. Listless.
Later, I realized that the ceaseless seeking was fruitless. It’s like trying to find your soulmate. It’s not something you can manufacture.
I also realized that the word ‘passion’ just didn’t fit for me. Instead, it was zone of genius. I was in business for 9 years before I got a glimmer of it. Then took more years to get to the sweet spot.
Or, it might show up if we continue to work together in my 5-month VIP Mentoring program to build every aspect of their business.
I think it’s through developing a niche that’s meaningful to them that they open up.
While we’re talking something within them kicks into a more effortless gear. Their voice becomes more resonant and alive.
They go off on a jag and time seems to stop. Words flow from them that are more attuned to their heart, instead of their head.
And for me, certain words float up into the air like a hologram and I feel a vibrational shift in my body. Sometimes, it’s a literal tingle in my spine and that attunement becomes a beacon for the rest of our work together.
Are You Holding Your Genius Back in Your Coaching Business?
Some coaches have their zone of genius bottled up tightly within them. I’m a good example of that.
The truth is, it took me a long time to believe in myself as a coach and business owner.
I’ve come to think that a zone of genius is a developmental point. Not everyone, at every stage of their life, will be SHOWING their zone of genius. Some may never locate it or care.
You have to allow it to come out.
Have you ever felt afraid of letting yourself fully out?
You’ll get there.
Sometimes, coaches who hold themselves to an imperative to succeed will access their zone of genius earlier.
That makes sense to me because when you decide to become a coach you step onto a strong path of inner transformation yourself. And if you decide to become an entrepreneur also you’ve asked yourself to become a leader all on your own volition.
I’m wondering, as I talk about this …
Are you having any inklings about your zone of genius?
Curiosity and patience will get you there when you’re ready. And, in the meantime, enjoy the journey and working toward excellence!