Is she in a good mood this morning? Man, I wonder what’s bugging him today?
We all recognize this. It’s the “boss watch”. If the boss is in a good mood and upbeat the day goes much better than if the boss is on a tirade. Yes, bosses (and you also by the way) have an impact on the mood and productivity of the organization. When you exude confidence and positive energy, the organization responds in kind. When you are negative, evasive, cautious, the organization picks this up also, and responds in kind. You, as a leader, impact the mood of the organization and this is referred to as energy leadership.
This is not a new age gimmick. Think about it, when the boss is upbeat, confident, has good concise and believable answers to your concerns about the business and the market – how do you feel? Pretty good. If on the other hand the boss is competing with Eeyore (of A.A. Milne fame) for the most laconic award, how do you feel then? Pretty poor – perhaps even discouraged. This is the essence of energy leadership.
It is important for you the leader to know the impact you have on the organization by your mood; that is, your energy – the energy you present to and (knowingly or unknowingly) share with others. We find lack of awareness (and for some, believability) is a major issue here. These folks say that the fact that their energy could be a factor in their leadership style is ridiculous and laughable. Well, it certainly isn’t ridiculous or laughable to their employees, who experience poor clarity, negative anticipation, and may begin to even avoid their negative energy boss. This lends to a reputation of not a great place to work or not a great person to work for, and will ultimately negatively impact productivity. High price to pay for ignoring the obvious don’t you think?
We are coming out of a severe recession and facing a difficult and sluggish recovery in some market sectors. Executives are looking for ways to re-invigorate their business, re-energize their staff and identify and re-focus on emerging market opportunities. None of this is possible in a moribund organization. And you as the leader have complete control over this.
In Thursday’s Quick Tips, we will provide you with ideas for increasing your energy and positive impact on your organization, employees and clients.
Copyright 2010 Kubica and LaForest
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