Leadership Thought #453 – Are You Bringing Positive Energy?
I find that one of the most recognizable traits of an effective leader is that they bring positive energy to a room. You can feel it the moment they walk through the door. I have been in banquet halls far from the entrance and felt the presence of certain people as they arrived. It’s almost as if a small electrical jolt works its way through the crowd. While most of us aren’t blessed with this type of “rock star” aura, we can certainly notice and work on the effect we have on others. You are either adding energy to the group dynamic or diminishing it. It really is this simple. Leaders must be a source of consistent positive energy if they want to get the most out of their people.
Leadership can be hard at times. Being in business certainly has its challenges. It’s not always easy to stay positive when you feel like you are in the middle of the jungle, trying to hack your way out of the tall grass and overcome other nefarious obstacles. However, this is the choice you made when you assumed the mantle of leadership. If it were easy, then everyone could do it (and they can’t). Whether you have one employee or 10,000, they are all looking to you for guidance and inspiration, especially when things are tough. Even when things are going well, you can easily lose focus if you overlook the significance of your role and the emotional influence you have on those around you.
A major source of positive energy is optimism, but it must be genuine, not contrived. People will pick up on it quickly if you are trying to fake positive feelings about the industry, company, division, leadership team, etc. Trust me, you cannot “fake it until you make it.” It’s also easy to tell if someone likes and believes in what they’re doing and who they’re doing it with. I’ve seen leaders suck the life out of a room who feel overly burdened by their responsibilities and not all that excited about their products/services and/or lacking confidence in their business model or people (including themselves).
All great success stories usually involve an individual or group of people overcoming a significant challenge. They also involve a leader getting a group of people to see that the “whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” Few things are more powerful to behold than a group of people bonded together around a common objective they believe to be worthy of their joint sacrifice and effort. It’s critical to remember that the end result must always be perceived as a positive one. Leaders who motivate people to tap into their best selves and seize their opportunities have accomplished great things throughout history. All fires must begin with a spark. Every spark is the result of some form of positive energy.
Are you bringing positive energy to your organization?
Related articles
- Leadership, a lifelong journey! (dnaindia.com)
- Negative Energy Affects Your Life and How to Clear It (noliesradio.org)
- The Three Types of Intelligence You Need For Success (psychologytoday.com)
- Leadership Minute: Daily Attitudes (dougdickerson.wordpress.com)
- Profile of a Failed Leader (benchmarkemail.com)
- Four Ways to Lead from the Middle (leadershipcafe.org)
- What Leadership Was and What Leadership Has Become (shoretelsky.com)
