We have explored Situational Leadership, the need for all the known leadership styles to be in your leadership style repertoire, and the need to add a new leadership style to the traditional list of styles.  Energising Leadership.

In our experience effective leadership requires managing your personal energy grid.  Each day spent inspiring, directing, challenging, driving and influencing others while getting through your own direct task list requires a lot of energy.  The demand on your energy is limitless. 

Is your personal supply limitless? 

Do you go home at night after a day’s work with energy to spare?

When we discuss energy and the sources of our energy, most people we come into contact with, agree that people tend to use other people as their primary source of energy. 

When we require another to energy us, we end up taking energy from them.  We do not recommend this as a sustainable approach as depleting another is not a responsible practice.

Think about what energisers you, other than feeding off someone else’s reserves.  There are mindless and mindful choices.

Mindless are those quick boosts that more than often are doing more harm than good. 

Mindful energy sources include music, exercise, responsible eating, sleeping well, taking breaks, drinking water, working with a goal in mind, celebrating your successes, planning, sunlight, inspirational books, motivational material, meditating and removing or addressing unnecessary drains.

Be brave enough to include energy replenishment in your daily to-do-list.  You can’t run on empty.  If you think you can you are very likely in some kind of denial. 

If you are drained every now and then it is not as much of a concern.  If it is a daily feeling, something is wrong.  Load shedding during your leading and managing tasks sends a dangerous message – it’s ok.  Did you think it was ok when ESKOM did it?

Where to start?  Listen to your body and address the biggest neglect first.  If you are like most people it will start with eating better during your taxing days.

In our next article, we’ll explore promoting the development of EQ within your team.  People with high EQ self-energise and when your team self-energisers they will drain you less.

By Louis Gerke

Development Facilitator – The Ripple Effect