Get success and happiness
without sacrificing one for the other.
We’re on a mission to bring more happiness, success, and belonging to organizations and individuals by honoring how each person is naturally wired to work.
How can we serve you?
Our clients include...
About the Native Genius Method
WHAT
Suffer less
& shine more
at work.
WHY?
Life is short.
You deserve to do what you love and be valued for how you're wired.
HOW?
Be certain
of your
Native Genius.
Use it more.
WHEN?
Now.
Why wait?
WHO?
For skeptics &
dreamers.
What is Native Genius?
The power of innate intelligence
How you naturally think, grow, and do
Active in all aspects of your work and life
Different than strengths and passions
Activities you barely notice you're doing, that make a bigger impact than you realize
A Method that activates that power
Designed for skeptics and dreamers
Makes work more fun and successful
Simple and scientific
Better than tests at unlocking what makes people super motivated and resourceful
Kristen Wheeler
Creator, The Native Genius Method
Kristen is a learning and organizational development expert, specializing in the psychology of groups and innate gifts. She is the creator of the Native Genius Method, which is used worldwide to amplify results and happiness without having to sacrifice one for the other.
Some of her clients include HP, Airbnb, Figma, and eBay who have used the Native Genius Method to increase employee engagement, psychological safety, inclusion, manager effectiveness, career advancement, and talent optimization and mobility.
Kristen started her career as a Certified Public Accountant and software developer at Accenture. Before developing the Native Genius Method, she was an independent consultant for over twenty years, partnering with leaders to solve problems at the intersection of technology, leadership, and culture. She has also worked as a psychotherapist specializing in behavior change and the power of groups for individual transformation.
Kristen holds a BBA in Accounting and Management Information Systems from the University of Texas at Austin, as well as an MA in Somatic Psychology from Naropa University, and an MA in Mythological Studies with a Concentration in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute.
Where does Native Genius come from?
The term “native genius” has been in the English language for hundreds of years
"Native genius" describes the phenomenon of innate brilliance in humans, animals, and nature. Untrained Shakespearean actors were described as having “native genius.” Abraham Lincoln was described as having “native genius” for leadership and governing because he lacked the typical education and training of a U.S. president.
Kristen learned the term “native genius” from Liz Wiseman’s groundbreaking book Multipliers
Multipliers is one of the most important leadership books of our time and it garnered the awareness, trust, and popularity of the term “native genius.” This book had an enormous impact on Kristen, multiplying her life and work with strengths-based approaches.
Obstacles not addressed by strengths-based approaches
When Multipliers was published in 2010, Kristen was teaching strengths in Fortune 500 companies. While Gallup’s and Marcus Buckingham’s research and methods were transformational and influential, her clients were running into obstacles not addressed by these approaches — primarily deep and hidden vulnerabilities about being honest about where they shined and struggled.
As a leadership development and culture change consultant, and a former psychotherapist and graduate student of the humanities, Kristen saw that these vulnerabilities were stifling sustainable change. Fascinated by overcoming these obstacles, Kristen rolled up her sleeves and devoted the next decade to helping her clients overcome obstacles not addressed by existing research and methods.
How the Native Genius Method was born: Innovating strengths-based approaches
Kristen started using the term “native genius” with clients, building on Gallup’s, Buckingham’s, and Wiseman’s seminal work. She started developing and testing tools to address obstacles like vulnerability, limiting beliefs, and habits — bringing in research from Wiseman, Brené Brown, Dan Siegel, Kristin Neff, and BJ Fogg, to name a few. This is how the Native Genius Method was born.
Watch Kristen's TEDx talk about Native Genius
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