Widgets in the Wild: Unlocking Team Genius on Every Job Site
Have you ever stepped onto a job site and felt that knot in your stomach?
The crew’s there, the ladders are up, the client is smiling, at least for the moment, but something’s off. You can’t quite put your finger on it. Perhaps it's a painter idly standing around with nothing to do, maybe it's a rushed mistake that needs to be fixed, or perhaps it's simply you, once again feeling overwhelmed as you juggle every role in the business and wondering how long you can maintain this pace.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Every business owner knows that dance of coordination, delegation, and frustration. The truth is, most of us were never taught how to put the right people in the right roles.
That’s where the Widgets come in.
What’s a Widget, Anyway?
It’s not just a gadget or a gizmo. In my world—and in the Painting Profit course—a “Widget” refers to the six types of Working Genius, a model developed by Patrick Lencioni. This model provides a straightforward way to understand how people are naturally inclined to work and how to align those strengths with the actual flow of a job.
The six types encompass the entire spectrum of work: dreamers, inventors, evaluators, motivators, helpers, and finishers. Every team requires all six types. Once you identify who fits into each category, the entire dynamic of the team shifts.
Let me show you what I mean.
The Ballroom Blitz
Years ago, we took on the restoration of a ballroom. It was stunning, with high ceilings, ornate columns, and wallpaper that needed to be removed, alongside detailed finishing work. We had just three days to complete it.
Any reasonable contractor would have laughed and walked away, but we didn’t. We weren’t being reckless; we simply understood our capabilities.
The first person to enter the room looked around and exclaimed, “How on earth are we going to pull this off?” That was our Wonder, posing the important questions we needed to address.
Right on his heels, another jumped in: “What if we pre-tape, spray the trim first, and then double-shift the crew?” That was Invention at work, tossing out bold solutions.
Our operations manager, strong in Discernment, leaned in and refined the plan: “That could work, but we’ll need more hands and tighter prep.”
Once the idea was solid, I stepped in as Galvanizer. I got the team fired up and moving in the same direction.
One of our junior leads took charge of Enablement, quietly organizing supplies, setting up equipment, and ensuring that no one encountered any obstacles. Once everything settled down, our Tenacity representative stepped up to handle final adjustments and quality checks as if his life depended on it.
We completed the project in two and a half days, and the client was thrilled with the result. The team earned a bonus, but the real achievement was that every individual operated in their natural zone of genius. No one had to bear the entire burden, and no one was left behind. As a result, we walked away from this job feeling more connected, more confident, and ready for the next challenge.
Why Crews Break Down
Most painting businesses don’t fail because of a lack of work. They fail because of misalignment. You’ve got talented people stuck in the wrong roles. You’ve got leaders exhausted from trying to be everything. You’ve got endless miscommunication, tension, and burnout, not because anyone’s lazy, but because no one knows who should be doing what.
And that’s not your fault; nobody taught us this part.
What Happens When You Align Genius With Workflow
When every person on the crew is placed where they naturally thrive, the friction drops, the mistakes shrink, morale climbs, jobs move faster, retention improves, and suddenly you, the owner, aren’t the only one who can “figure it all out.”
That’s the shift. You don’t need to be the genius, you just need to know how to organize it.
Try It Yourself
Think about your team for a moment. Who’s always asking the big questions? Who’s full of ideas? Who’s the one who rallies the crew, or the one who won’t quit until the last detail is perfect?
That’s your Widget map. Try leaning into it on your next job. Put people where they shine and watch what happens.
If you’re solo and just starting to build your first crew, this is the best time to learn it. You’ll dodge the headaches that sink culture before it even begins.
Building It Into Your Business
When I look back on that ballroom job, what stands out isn’t just that we beat the deadline. It’s how we felt walking out. Nobody was drained or resentful. Nobody carried the whole load. Everyone knew they mattered, and that changes everything.
That’s what happens when you line up the work with the people. Jobs move smoother, yes. Clients are happier, sure. The bigger win is the culture you create. A crew that trusts each other, a team that believes in the work, and an owner who can finally breathe a little easier.
So next time you’re standing on a job site with that knot in your stomach, take a step back. Ask yourself: who here is the question-asker? The problem solver? The motivator? The helper? The finisher?
Try giving them a chance to work in that lane, just once.
You might be surprised at what your team is capable of when you stop trying to carry it all and start letting the genius that’s already there come alive.
At the end of the day, it’s not about running faster, it’s about running together.
Want to see how this works step by step? I put together PAINTING WITH GENIUS: A QUICK-START GUIDE TO TEAM ALIGNMENT as a free guide to help you map your crew’s genius, assign with clarity, and lead without carrying the whole load yourself.
Download your copy today and start turning talent into traction.
