By: Russell Hunter
According to a recent Ipsos Reid survey, over 50% of CEOs and working Canadians agree that their organizations are not as productive as they could be. But knowing how to effectively address the productivity gap isn’t so clear.
Part of the problem lies in how we often view the issue. The predominant perspective that time is our most precious resource - something that needs to be carefully managed - is limiting the effectiveness of many leaders now.
Most individuals face crushing workloads and ever-increasing expectations today. Armed with pagers, BlackBerries, and cell phones, many individuals apply surgical precision to their allocation of time, but lack the physical, mental or emotional capacity to fully execute their plans. They are wired up for non-stop productivity, yet burning out on the critical resource that makes everything happen – energy.
Time for a shift in perspective
For the purpose of this article let’s define energy as the capacity to do work.
Everything we do requires an investment of our energy. Interacting with colleagues, making important decisions, or spending time with our families. All requires some form of physical, mental or emotional energy. As obvious as this seems, we often overlook its importance personally and professionally.
Every one of our thoughts, emotions and behaviors has an energy consequence, for better or for worse. The ultimate measure of our lives is not how much time we spend, but rather the quality and quantity of energy we invest in the time that we have.
The foundation for performance today is the skillful management of energy.
In his best-selling business book, “The Power of Full Engagement,” Dr. Jim Loehr defines energy as the capacity to do work. The number of hours in a day is fixed, but the quantity and quality of energy available to us is not.
In a recent interview Dr. Loehr stated, “The more we take responsibility for the energy we bring to the world, the more empowered and productive we become. The more we blame others or external circumstances, the more negative and compromised our energy is likely to be. There are undeniably bad bosses, toxic work environments, difficult relationships and real life crises. Nonetheless, we have far more control over our energy than we ordinarily realize.”
Leaders are the key stewards of organizational energy, whether in companies, or their own families. They inspire or demoralize others first by how effectively they manage their own energy and then by how well they mobilize, focus, invest and renew the collective energy of those they lead.
Many leaders are asking the wrong question when it comes to addressing the issue of productivity in their organization. They usually ask, “how can I get the most out of my people”. A more effective question is, “how can I invest in and inspire our people, so they bring more of themselves and energy to work every single day.”
World-renowned business strategist Peter Drucker may have summed up the urgency of this issue best when he stated, “The first and foremost job as a leader is to take charge of your own energy, and then to help orchestrate the energy of those around you.”
Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric echoed this sentiment when he stated, “The world will belong to passionate, driven leaders – people who not only have enormous amounts of energy, but who can energize those whom they lead.”
Why is energy overlooked?
Most of us pay a great deal of attention to other resources we believe are important. For instance, many of us meticulously manage our finances. We recognize money as a vital resource in a business’s success. An entire industry has been built around financial management.
The same is true for time. We easily recognize that time is sacred in our lives and understand that to achieve great success we must manage our time efficiently and effectively. An entire industry also developed around time management that may have reached its peak in the 1990’s. There is no doubt it has helped us to become more diligent in how we invest our time and to hold ourselves accountable.
But energy is even more fundamental. If you take energy out of the equation, or assume it is not a resource that can be effectively developed and managed, the success of any important mission will be compromised.
The stakes have never been higher. Energy management challenges often show up in organizations as:
- Leadership fatigue,
- higher absenteeism,
- reduced employee commitment,
- declining job satisfaction,
- lower workplace morale,
- reduced satisfaction with family life.
A more competitive Canadian labour market, the prospect of continued labour shortages and the changing expectations of employees themselves are motivating many organizations to take the issue of energy management seriously. These organizations recognize that assisting their employees to build their energy capacity, and align it with what matters most individually and organizationally, can be a powerful drawing card and cultivate long-term loyalty.
Taking your first steps
One of the first steps towards managing energy more effectively is assessing your current capacity. How engaged are you right now? One helpful tool is a free online diagnostic located at: www.energyforperfromance.ca/assessment.
It takes less than 10 minutes to complete, and generates a snapshot of your current levels of engagement in four dimensions – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual (purpose and core values).
You can learn more about the effective management of energy at: www.energyforperformance.ca.
About the author:
Russell Hunter is a principal with Tekara Organizational Effectiveness Inc. and National Director of Energy for Performance in Canada.
Join Russell Hunter and Dr. Jim Loehr – co-author of the bestselling book, “The Power of Full Engagement” - on November 7, 2006 in Vancouver at the 1-Day “Strategies for High Performance” Conference.
SPEACIAL RATE FOR HRMA MEMBERS - $289
Click to find our more about the Nov. 7th Event
BC HRMA members can also receive a 10% discount on the
90-Day Energy for Performance Core Programs offered
in Vancouver and Victoria this Fall.
Click to find our more about the 90-Day Core Program