How to Boost Your Brand by Finding Your Zone of Genius

I often hear my clients and colleagues admit they feel stuck and burned out because they are running their business in a way that has them doing ALL THE THINGS.

They feel scattered, exhausted and unfulfilled. 

We’ve all been there before. I for one am totally guilty of trying to run a business doing way too many things at once. I called this my Junk Drawer phase of 2014.

That’s why I recently set out on a quest to help my clients (and myself!) find flow and discover their zone of genius, so things feel easier, effortless and FUN. 

First step:  I started re-reading The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks. This popular book explains the concept of finding your “Zone of Genius” in detail (I highly recommend it for any business owner!). 

WHAT DOES “ZONE OF GENIUS” MEAN?

Your Zone of Genius (ZOG) is the area in your business that feels effortless to you. It is where you work at peak performance. Your ZOG combines your natural talent with your learned skills that create a true flow in your work. This is not necessarily your passion, but instead that area where you’re naturally gifted.

In the book The Big Leap, the author explains four zones that business owners operate in:

1. The Zone of Incompetence: In this zone, you are doing things you aren’t good at or  don’t fully understand. Some of these tasks feel foreign, or maybe you just don’t care about them. These are tasks you should definitely consider delegating to someone else. 

   For me, this is tech and systems. They can take me hours. Since I know a workflow in Dubsado is outside my wheelhouse, I chose to hire someone to take that off my plate.

2. The Zone of Competence: In this zone, you are getting by and doing things you’re ok at doing. The problem? There are also other people who are more efficient at those tasks, so you’re not distinguishing your capabilities in any significant way. You risk looking like a clone of others if you stay in this realm. 

   For me this task is writing. I have all the ideas, but it takes me time to put it all together in a clear, concise and compelling way. My solution? I’ve hired a content VA who has been a part of my team for years. She works her magic in content creation so I don’t have to get bogged down in the details.

3. The Zone of Excellence: In this zone, you’re doing something you are really good at, but they are skills that need to be practiced and acquired over time. 

   For example, I am good at photography, but it does require some technical effort. I can get the job done well but it still feels at times that I haven’t fully mastered the craft. Sometimes we can get stuck in our Zone of Excellence and get too comfortable. I’ve learned that even though I am good at brand photography, I am actually more of an expert in other things — things that make my soul sing like brand strategy.

4. The Zone of Genius: In this zone, you are fully immersed in the work. It feels not only easy but exciting. You lose track of time and enter a “flow” state. The work you do is remarkable and excels beyond others in your market. This is a special state where you feel most fulfilled, connected, and happy in your business. For me, when I took the step into brand strategy from photography, I felt a huge shift. I could spend hours talking about messaging and niche-ing, and I was truly a pro at helping others figure it out.

When you know your Zone of genius, you can prioritize what to focus on in your business. You can stop being a generalist and a “Jane of All Trades” and start becoming a specialist. 

Pinpointing your Zone of Genius is one of the critical steps to help you create a stand-out niche, so you’re working at your highest level possible.

• If you’re a personal stylist, maybe your ZOG is in the creative assembly of putting outfits together.

• If you’re a life coach, maybe your ZOG is listening intently to your clients and asking powerful questions.

• If you’re a copywriter wizard, maybe your ZOG is titling programs and offers with catchy and unique names.

How Can I Find My ZOG?

Block off some time and grab a pen/paper or open up a Google doc. Write down all the activities that you have done for the past week in your business — everything from social media posts to networking to discovery calls to speaking, etc. 

Then, start to categorize them and determine which zone they fall into. Doing this exercise will help you stand out, build a solid reputation, and demand pricing power. 

When identifying your ZOG, Mr. Hendricks poses four questions to help you start:

1. What do you most love to do? What can you do for long stretches of time without getting tired or bored?

2. What work do you do that doesn’t seem like work? What are you doing when you lose track of time?

3. What tasks do you do that produce the biggest impact and results? What will clients pay you top dollar for?

4. What’s your unique ability? What can I do that others just can’t do at my level?
   Why does it matter to identify your ZOG?

Successful business owners position themselves as specialists — they think and act like experts. When you identify those skills or interests in your ZOG, you can capitalize on them and develop an expert brand that differentiates you from the generalists and can lead to more revenue. The objective is to become known and synonymous with your expertise.

Plus, if you off-load tasks that take up your time and energy, you will develop a more sustainable business!

It’s time to focus on the work that energizes us, feels fun and makes money.

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