Teams Are Like Tribes
In a tribal context, members of the tribe bring not only skills but their personality and vibrant energy to the group. In modern business, we find that the same is true. It is not usually the skill that creates problems in the team but the personal energy of the members. In today’s workplace, skill is focused on as the most important aspect, and the personality and vibrant energy are overlooked. Yet how effectively a team function is based more on the energy of the “tribe” then it is the skill sets of each individual member. This can often be tricky to work with.
Revolutionary Viewpoint – The Genius Factor
Tribal Wisdom As A Modern Business Model
The tribe from which this Genius Factor* model is derived has existed for over 20,000 years. It has endured famine, floods, horrific storms, cultural invasion, and has learned to adapt and thrive despite these hardships. If we look at this model from any business standpoint we see one result — Success!
The success of this model is based on aligning our personal and organizational perspective with the natural world around us. It is comprised of five primary universal elements — Fire, Water, Earth, Mineral, and Nature. Each of these elements is foundational to the world we live in and carries an intrinsic characteristic that, when in sync with the other elements, creates balance, strength, focus, inspiration, and harmony. Let’s take a brief look at the characteristics of each element and how they apply to the Genius Factor* business success model.
5 Element System
Fire: The element of Fire is about inspiration, clear vision, passion, and igniting the fire of excitement throughout the organization. In the Genius Factor* business success model, the “Fire people” are the visionaries, salespeople, team leaders, and promoters. They bring excitement and the element of vision and hope to the company.
Water: This element is about flow, emotion, peacemaking, and balance. In the Genius Factor* business success model, the “Water people” are the ones who help bring flow and harmony to the fiery energy and inspiration of the fire people. They are the ones in the company who resolve conflicts, administer the practical application of inspiration and innovation, and have a natural propensity for finding the common and practical connection between an idea and its application.
Earth: The element of Earth is about nurturing, abundance, welcoming, and home. In the Genius Factor* business success model, these are the stable and practical people who create the container for success. The “Earth people” are the ones who hold the big picture. They are more group-oriented than individual-oriented. That said, they have the ability to nurture and individuals’ genius so that it fits in harmoniously with the vision of the whole. They have the ability to see how to create abundance through welcoming the input of all and being able to coordinate this input for the benefit of the organization.
Mineral: Systematic organization is what the “Mineral people” bring to the table. They are the people who can articulate a mission or vision, and then create a mechanism through which progress can occur. They have a knack for creating systems and structures to keep the company on track. They also have the natural ability to prevent duplication and chaos in the company. Efficiency, accuracy, and stability are additional traits of Mineral people within the Genius Factor* business success model.
Nature: The Tricksters! “Nature people” prevent stagnation. Their job within the Genius Factor* business success model is to continually remind the individual and the company of the true nature of the project or desired outcome. They have a very sensitive “bullshit meter” and will not tolerate phoniness, insincerity, or deception. Stagnation is intolerable to a Nature person, so they are a great driving force in the midst of a project when individuals become distracted or discouraged. Often using humor as a mechanism to reveal shortcomings, Nature people reflect back to a person or organization the true nature of their vision and in doing so keep people and projects on track.
The Results
As your organization comes into balance through the application of the Genius Factor* business success model, the system begins to flow smoothly, naturally, and effectively. For more information about this effective system and how it can apply to your team contact Toby at toby@tobychristensen.com
