At the heart of positive leadership lies the concept of positive energy.
Whereas much popular literature is dominated by discussions about the toll of stress, burnout, depression, tension, anxiety, fatigue, disengagement, and fear, less attention is paid to positive energy, even though it is one of the most powerful and important predictors of organizational and individual success.
Positive energy is characterized by a feeling of aliveness, arousal, vitality and zest. It is the life-giving force that allows us to perform, to create and to persist. It unlocks resources and capacity within us and actually increases our ability to flourish.
Relational energy actually increases as it is exercised. Expressing and receiving relational energy through positive interpersonal relationships uplifts, invigorates and rejuvenates us. It increases rather than diminishes as it is expended. Experiencing love, nurturing and support is life-giving rather than life-depleting.
Research has confirmed that positive energy is four times more important in predicting performance than either influence or information. Positive energy trumps most other factors in accounting for organizational success. Measuring positive energy is best achieved by asking individuals to assess the extent to which they are personally energized as a result of interacting with another person.
Five items form a reliable and valid measure of positive energy and you may want to use this scale to assess positive leadership energy in your organization:
1. I feel invigorated when I interact with this person.
2. After interacting with this person, I feel more energy to do my work.
3. I feel increased vitality when I interact with this person.
4. I would go to this person when I need to be "pepped up."
5. After an exchange with this person, I feel more stamina to do my work.
When individuals are exposed to a positively energizing leader in their workplace, they have significantly higher personal well-being, higher satisfaction with their jobs, higher engagement in their organization, higher job performance and higher levels of family well-being than those without exposure to positively energizing leaders.
The impact of having an energizing leader at work was found to be extremely strong. Moreover, positively energized people are more adaptive, more creative, suffer form fewer physical illnesses and accidents and experience richer interpersonal relationships than others. People tend to avoid and limit their communication with de-energizers, whereas they are attracted to positive energizers.
Coaching Tip: Because positive energy is synonymous with relational energy, building and nurturing strong interpersonal relationships is key to fostering and maintaining positive energy.