Good leaders continue to learn  how to keep themselves energized and energize others. Having team members who are not motivated and energized for the work that needs to be done greatly harm the overall effort toward agreed-upon goals. Dan Rockwell shares two ways to generate positive energy  in others.

Originally posted by Dan Rockwell

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.

  1. Ask questions.
  2. Take the perspective of others.
  3. Understand aspirations. Can you list the aspirations of your team members?
  4. 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.

  1. I see what you’re saying.
  2. I hear you.
  3. This seems to trouble you.
  4. You seem excited about this.

#3. Challenge

  1. What would you like to do about that?
  2. How can I help?
  3. What’s the next step?
  4. You have more in you.

System two: Admire strengths – Appreciate progress – Apply strengths

#1. Admire strengths

  1. You’re great at ….
  2. You’re at your best when ….
  3. How did you get good at …?

#2. Appreciate progress

  1. Yes, you have further to go, but you’ve made some progress.
  2. You’re better at …. (Insert leading meetings or dealing with tough issues, for example.)

#3. Apply strengths

  1. How might you apply what you’re great at to this situation?
  2. How will your strengths serve you well with this in mind?
  3. 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?