Managing Energy

Around this time two years ago, all the Acumen fellows descended at Oxford to reconnect at the Skoll Foundation Conference. While much of the week was a blur of joyous reunions (snuggle town!), social enterprise panels and gorging on non-Indian food, one conversation in particular stood out.

Jacqueline had just arrived and was meeting with all the fellows. She said something to the extent of: "Obviously what you're all doing is hard work. But I want to know the extent to which you're energized by it or are drained by it."

Something during that conversation clicked, and I realized that "energy" was really the key. I was working much longer and crazier hours here in India than I did consulting in NY, with much less of a clearer delineation between work and "life." But I was more energized than I ever had been before. And now on days where feelings of burnout inevitably start, I think back to the key question: how might I feel more energized and re-invigorated?

All of which makes the book I'm currently reading all the more fascinating. Called "The Power of Full Engagement", its thesis is that managing energy -- not time -- is the key to high performance. What I like is that the authors discuss not only individual energy, but how this ties into organizational energy (very similar to conversations I've had with my mentor from business school, as well as with colleagues at Katzenbach Partners). Some particularly salient parts:

"Performance, health and happiness are rounded in the skillful management of energy... Leaders are the stewards of organizational energy -- in companies, organizations and even families. They inspire or demoralize others first by how effectively they manage their own energy and next by how well they mobilize, focus, invest, and renew the collective energy of those they lead."

It's an interesting thought: leaders as stewards of organizational energy. But it's true. How a leader behaves is manifested by the rest of the organization. Energy -- whether positive or negative, anxious or inspiring -- is contagious. Leader or not, we should all start to think about what kind of energy we're spreading.