15: What's Your Zone of Genius As a Coach?

This episode is about your unique talent and how, when it's applied to your coaching niche, and you allow yourself to shine, doors open to you.Find show notes and more at prosperouscoach.com/15.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 avoid those tasks and 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.If you're in your zone of excellence, you're performing better than most people. It feels good, it's easier than other areas for you.For me, that's stuff like writing and copy-editing. Things I truly enjoy and I'm better at than most, but still, it's not effortless.Now, in your zone of genius, you are literally at your best.The Zone of Genius is where your natural, innate abilities -- the ones that intersect with your passion -- shine and glow.It's a state of being where inspiration flows to, through and from you and you feel deeply engaged and energized.Other people may feel it even though they may not know what it is or how to articulate it. But that inspiration flows to them too and awakens something in them.You can see how, your zone of genius could super charge your coaching abilities.Now, if I asked you what your zone of genius is, you might be tempted to say: "Well, Rhonda, it's coaching of course!"But that's not it. That's most likely excellence.No doubt, you are an outstanding coach. I believe that. But the way I understand it, your zone of genius is something singular, unique to you not simply something you do better than most people.As wonderful as it is, the problem with this whole Zone of Genius concept is that it's not easy to look objectively at yourself and immediately perceive it.You need someone to recognize it within you.And if that hasn't happened yet, you may think you're not enough or that there is nothing special about you, no unique gifts that you bring.It's not true. You know that in your heart.Part of my Zone of Genius is hearing other people's Zone of Genius. And I realized that it's one of the best ways to uncover clues about a smart niche for my clients.One of my clients said I have a super power for helping coaches niche. I loved that and own that, but I think that is an outcome of my zone of genius, not the definition of it.I don't know if I would have realized it if I hadn't been working with coaches to help them choose a smart niche.But ... now that I think of it ... in all my jobs co-workers gravitated to me. They would tell me their dreams and share what they wanted. Sometimes, it was difficult to get my work done.Now, when I work with coaches I ask a lot questions to help them discover their coaching niche. There is an array of information within them that gives us clues.When they start talking about peak conversations they've had with people - friends, family, clients sometimes something within them kicks into a more effortless gear ... I feel that vibrational shift in my body and their words float up into the air like a hologram.And that's when I know they've hit their genius zone. Their voice gets more resonant. Words flow from them that ... Find more about how to find your Zone of Genius here.)