Genius, for these purposes, should not be understood in the common sense. In mythology, the genius is the divine that resides in all things, both living and inanimate, that give that individual or thing its power. A person’s genius gave them their skills and abilities, while a vineyard’s genius is what made the grapes grow. When we’re talking about genius in terms of employee engagement, the concept isn’t much different. An employee’s personal genius resides in the sweet spot where talent and passion intersects, and one of the biggest hindrances to true employee engagement is finding out where that sweet spot—that source of genius power—is located. Good managers understand this and will ask questions to help draw it out of struggling employees. One of a manager’s first questions should gauge what an employee’s passions are. Ask what activity causes the employee to lose track of time because they are so absorbed? Another good question to ask is what that employee would like to do if payment weren’t an issue. Drawing out these passions will help an employee find their genius.