Have you ever had a big, “aha” moment and wondered why you had never seen it before? We either realize it ourselves, or someone makes an observation about us, and we suddenly see an issue differently.
Let’s talk about our personal and business energy...
You are probably aware of personality-based tests like the Myers Briggs Type Indicator and Gallup’s Strength Finder and know how to use them with individuals and teams. But you also know that our attitudes affect performance too. So, have you asked yourself how does a personality or analytical left brain guided mind relate to our attitudes?
What kind of mindset do we bring to work?
Our “core energy” reflects the attitudes and thoughts of individuals and organizations have on any given day. Several industry assessments are personality-based tools, yet we know we have different moods throughout the day, and they affect how willing we are to tackle challenges. The enthusiasm or lack of interest we have for our jobs is independent of our personalities. We get frustrated or angry when things don’t go our way, or we feel we want to help coworkers with a problem because we care about solving a dilemma. We want to inspire our subordinates as senior managers and executives while not getting as caught up in every challenge we face, which drains us energetically.
The organization which developed an assessment of our energy, our attitudes, our perspectives is the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC), and their Energy Leadership Index (ELI) assessment is used by corporations, government, and individuals worldwide. The ELI is considered one of the top five assessments by Forbes.
Have you ever felt lethargic at work before? Who hasn’t?
How about out of touch CEOs of VPs who drive their workforce into the ground and wonder why they have high turnover rates?
I did some research and realized that as a CEO or management becomes more aware of an individual’s energy or a group’s energy about tasks, projects, goals, company vision, etc. that they could address and respond more efficiently and effectively to challenges. We demand, we use willpower,we threaten, we manipulate, we drive, we incentivize, and we use other actions to MAKE people do their jobs. We may make people do what they need to do and take a very hands-on management approach to ensure compliance with orders.
That’s DEAD energy management!
Most talented people don’t respond well to that demanding, high-supervision environment. They respond to that environment with negative energy—specifically catabolic energy. They feel trapped or even a victim. They dig in and try to power through the work or do the minimum required. They burn out quickly and can’t sustain the drive over more extended periods. If they feel victimized, they retreat from work and don’t offer their talents willingly.
My experience across many organizations, companies, and institutions is that a large portion of the workforce operates with the negative energy I describe.
The more elevated energy is referred to as anabolic energy. That’s wherewe feel inspired, collaborative, creative, enthusiastic, excited, masterful, unstoppable, joyous, and at peace. Anabolic energy is contagious! Oh, I can hear you saying, “that can’t happen at work, not in my organization. We’re downsizing right now, and our industry is in turmoil.”
That is very likely true in today’s economy that’s shifting more and more online as a result of creative destruction. We do see positive energy at start-ups or with teams who are inspired and driven to tackle the most enormous challenges. It’s often missing at established companies and organizations.
Throughout the day or weeks, we cycle and shift through these anabolic and catabolic energy levels. What tends to cause the shifts from anabolic to catabolic energy is stress. The core energy method breaks up catabolic and anabolic energy into seven levels. How we handle things when we aren’t stressed tends to see us in a more anabolic energy state while the more stress we have, the more of a catabolic energy state we find ourselves in. The catabolic energy occurs in the lowest of the seven energy levels while the anabolic energy is in the upper five levels.
As individuals, we view the world through a set of filters. If we’re wearing blue-colored glasses, the world looks blue. If we’re wearing green-colored glasses, the world looks green. We all have these energy filters based on all our life experiences and the influences of the world around us. They form the basis of our belief system and the way we view and approach situations. In many instances, our filters help achieve success. In other aspects, they can be limiting or create tension. These filters shape the way we “show up.” They affect our reactions and responses to situations and people in all aspects of life. Teams that face and surmount their larger-than-life challenges are ones that go within themselves to tap into higher energy.The Energy Leadership Index assessment reveals the specific filters we’ve developed and how they influence our life.
It also uncovers the thinking and perceptions that might be creating stress or holding us back from achieving our goals. After all, the ability to achieve success, happiness, and purpose happens when we can recognize and release internal challenges and blocks. An Energy Leadership Index assessment has a depth and complexity to it that stands alone or complements other assessments like Gallup Strengths, DISC, Myers Briggs, and Emotional Intelligence 2.0. There have been excellent management programs that help bring progress, efficiencies, improved performance, and better quality to a business's products and services.
Programs like Total Quality Management (TQM), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Lean Six Sigma, etc. help instill the use of best practices and roles for managers and executives. I have found that these programs really help improve performance and generate a significant return on investment (ROI). However, just because a manager or team has these skills doesn’t mean they will want to use them. Some of them require continuous effort to implement to reach Key Performance Indicators (KPI). KPIs are defined as quantifiable measures used to evaluate the success of an organization, employee, etc. in meeting objectives for performance. Driving a company or organization to KPI goals is essential for success.
When I see these goals not being achieved, it is usually due to a lack of leadership on the part of management. Quite often, there is a missing vitality component to the organization. This is where the energy we bring as leaders is so essential to ensure success. We can bring the freshest and best ingredients together to make the tastiest loaf of bread, but if we don’t remember to bring the yeast (the anabolic energy), the baked bread falls flat.
Research studies have shown that when we bring anabolic energy to a team, group, or organization, the likelihood of success increases.
Bottomline:
Leaders who implement best practices and instill an anabolic energy environment become consistent change agents achieving new levels of success despite the increasingly complex socio-economic times.
Do you feel like you are struggling with putting "strategy" and "business growth concepts" in place that make a difference? Doing it all is overwhelming! Let’s have a honest discussion about your business and see if the Power of 10 can help you. Click “HERE” to have a great conversation with our team today.
Written By The Strategic Advisor Board - Michael Sipe
C. 2017-2021 Strategic Advisor Board / M&C All Rights Reserve
dwww.strategicadvisorboard.com / info@strategicadvisorboard.com
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