Two Simple Systems for Generating Positive Energy in Others
Make it your mission to fuel and refuel energy.
Positive energy fuels achievement.
4 principles of energy:
#1. People have energy. Lousy organizations drain it.
#2. Energy flows toward meaningful action. When people lose energy, they’re doing things that aren’t fulfilling.
#3. Energy increases with clarity and forward movement. Sustained confusion drains.
#4. Leaders impact energy. Successful leaders protect, nurture, and ignite energy inside others. Foolish leaders suck the life out of people.
How to generate positive energy in others:
Energy decreases unless someone fuels it.
First, commit yourself to generating positive energy in your team members.
Second, adopt a system for generating positive energy in others.
System one: Listen – Care – Challenge
#1. Listen to people’s concerns, suggestions, and aspirations.
- Ask questions.
- Take the perspective of others.
- Understand aspirations. Can you list the aspirations of your team members?
- Look for aspiration behind frustration. What do they want?
#2. Care
Respect the challenges and aspirations of others. What’s easy for you is difficult for others.
- I see what you’re saying.
- I hear you.
- This seems to trouble you.
- You seem excited about this.
#3. Challenge
- What would you like to do about that?
- How can I help?
- What’s the next step?
- You have more in you.
System two: Admire strengths – Appreciate progress – Apply strengths
#1. Admire strengths
- You’re great at ….
- You’re at your best when ….
- How did you get good at …?
#2. Appreciate progress
- Yes, you have further to go, but you’ve made some progress.
- You’re better at …. (Insert leading meetings or dealing with tough issues, for example.)
#3. Apply strengths
- How might you apply what you’re great at to this situation?
- How will your strengths serve you well with this in mind?
- What does past success suggest you should do this time?
How might leaders generate positive energy in team members?
What do leaders do that drains energy from team members?
Dan – moments ago, I finished re-reading an old (2002) NLP-framed article on developing rapport and your thoughts and those thoughts totally align. Very solid stuff, my man. Thanks for sharing.
The only real difference is that the author added a timeline of three weeks — that you should commit to practice the skills above for a designed 3-week period before moving priorities onto something else, because that time period would probably “install” those behaviors into your more normal relationship approach.
This is all about focusing on the intrinsic aspects of energy, which is wonderful. So many “managers” think it is about the extrinsic rewards that get things done. Your thoughts are so much more attuned to alignment and support.
Well done! We should all print your list and make it prominently visible.
Thanks Dr. Scott. A little confirmation is encouraging.
Your addition of a timeline is fantastic. It gives a sense of direction and the opportunity for achievement. So glad you joined in.
Cheers
I’d love to read that article if you have a link, Dr. Scott.
2002 — it was PAPER! No clue if it was ever published. Sorry. And the doc itself became firestarter as I clean things up around here.
Dan, Excellent!
People love praise, so if the engrgy is positive enjoy the ride!
Happy Friday!
Thanks Tim. Yes, people love praise. If we can find something to praise it will add to energy.
Positive energy comes from positive emotions.
When people feel good—-upbeat and positive about themselves, their future, their talents, their mission, their colleagues etc.–their energy increases.
Thanks Paul. Well said. You make me wonder about energy during tough or turbulent times. We might not feel good, but can we feel positive emotion even when we don’t feel good. We have the ability to feel conflicting emotions at the same time. You might be happy for your daughter’s marriage and sad to think about how life changes for you.
Dan,
Yes, during turbulent times our emotions can run the gamut from worry, fear, hope etc.
I think the mix of emotions (positive and negative) we are feeling places us somewhere on the energy continuum from high to low.
When leaders focus on what’s possible, frame problems as opportunities,and people believe what they hear—–it sparks positive emotions in the followers.
Love this! Just in time for the church goal planning session this weekend! We drain energy by trying to do too much ourselves…. both from the individual doing the work and by taking away meaningful work from others, thereby unintentionally making them feel like they don’t have the skills/ability to do the work. I also saw on my Twitter feed yesterday that we often “HOW” things to death… that is also an energy drainer! ACT! Thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks Vicki. Wonderful insights. Your “HOW” comment reminded me of a book by Peter Block, The Answer to How is Yes.
Best wishes for your goal planning session.
Great read today, especially with the new year. And very true!
Dan, Great post with two very practical and usable feedback systems to energize. One more thought to add to the mix: the best leaders know how to re-energize themselves. Energy is contagious!! Thanks for starting the New Year off right!
Thanks! This is great! A smile is contagious, but when upper management doesn’t know how to smile or even have a cordial conversation, that is one surefire way to kill the energy in a workplace. Or, when your supervisor only has negative comments about nearly everything there isn’t a drop of energy left in the workplace. How do you manage up? I try to engage and keep the energy positive, but it is difficult to change someone. Any recommendations?
What would be the difference between energy and momentum?
I have really enjoyed reading this article. It has affirmed some of my practices, as well as given me additional ideas to generate positive energy in the people I influence.