Written by: Nathan Regier, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
The main problem with working longer hours is that time is limited. Energy, however, is a different story.
With burnout at an all-time high and the quest for well-being becoming more important than ever, organizations must take a look at how to help employees increase, replenish, and maintain energy over time.
What are companies doing to help employees boost energy?
This terrific article in Harvard Business Review provides an overview of the challenge, and what companies are doing to help employees boost energy.
Here's a summary.
Hours are finite, energy can be systematically renewed and expanded.
Workplaces should invest in helping employees recharge and energize by recognizing energy-depleting behaviors and cultivating motivational habits.
Physical health rituals like sleep, diet, and exercise are critical.
Several studies have shown that energy management training improves employee performance on KPIs as well as relationships with peers and customers.
When people are able to take more control of their emotions, they can improve the quality of their energy, regardless of the external pressures they’re facing.
Without intermittent recovery, people are not physiologically capable of sustaining highly positive emotions for long periods. Interventions like deep breathing exercises, meditation, expressing gratitude, rewiring unhelpful narratives, tapping into your core values, or avoiding multitasking can help.
The two most powerful energy management secrets for leaders
There are two secrets not mentioned in this research that can have a profound impact on energy management; one that will significantly improve the impact of any efforts, like a turbocharger for your engine; and another that might be the most significant energy management challenge any leader faces.
1. Unlock the energy in your own personality
What we have found in our work is that understanding individual personality differences can greatly improve the precision and impact of energy management behaviors. Personality science shows that different personalities are motivated differently and that these inborn psychological needs are crucial to be met every day in order to stay energized.
2. Harness the positive potential in conflict
What’s the difference between being drained and being tired? Have you ever felt completely burned out at work, only to spend all day on the weekend doing yard work or cleaning your house? There’s a difference between purposeful effort that produces results and spending energy spinning your wheels. The crux of this issue lies in how we handle conflict.
Conflict is a natural part of life and life. Because humans are diverse, conflict is inevitable. Conflict is neither good nor bad, but it does generate massive amounts of energy. In fact, conflict might be the most plentiful energy source on the planet.
Conflict might be the most plentiful energy source on the planet.
Conflict energy can be spent in drama, which is toxic and draining. That's because all of our energy is spent putting out fires, engaged in power struggles, second-guessing ourselves and others, and trying the same thing over and over expecting different results. Drama invites drama in a never-ending downward spiral. Leaders with poor stewardship of conflict energy will find themselves frequently drained by drama, unable to regulate or replenish their energy.
Good news! The real purpose of conflict is to create. Conflict energy has the potential to build trust, bring people closer together, ignite innovation, and break through barriers. How? With Compassionate Accountability®. Leaders who learn to negotiate conflict with Compassionate Accountability can experience tremendous new levels of energy in themselves and their teams.
Compassionate Accountability treats ourselves and others as valuable, capable and responsible, even during conflict. So instead of struggling against each other with drama during conflict, we struggle with others towards more productive solutions.
Helping people replenish and maintain their energy is an important way to avoid burnout, even when work time commitments are high. Companies are finding innovative ways to support energy management in employees. By helping your people unlock the energy in their own personalities and harness the positive potential in conflict, you can maximize the energy they have available for engaging productively.
Get your copy of my new book and start building your culture of compassionate accountability today.
Nathan Regier, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Nate Regier, Ph.D. is the CEO of Next Element, a global leadership consultancy helping companies build cultures of Compassionate Accountability through culture diagnostics, consulting, training, and train-the-trainer certifications. Nate is the author of four books on leadership, compassion, and culture. In his newest book, Compassionate Accountability: How Leaders Build Connection and Get Results, Nate outlines the roadmap for the next generation of leaders and thriving workplace cultures. He hosts a podcast called OnCompassion with Dr. Nate, is a sought-after top-100 keynote speaker, and appears on multiple podcasts and industry publications.
