Manage Your Own Energy, Instead of Other People

When you change your energy, you change how others respond

The number one mistake that managers make is they try to manage other people. A far better strategy is to manage your own energy.

If you're positive, if you are uplifting, if you are clear and focused, and if you inspire— rather than bark orders—people will naturally gravitate towards you. If you tell people what to do, not so much.

Last year, I watched a documentary in which a former American astronaut observed that every breath you take interacts with the food you have eaten to produce energy. In addition, your thoughts—and those of people around you—also impact how much energy all of you can generate and use.

In other words, energy is the most precious element to which you have access.

Notice I didn't say strategy, management wisdom, leadership skills, business processes, buildings, machinery, or laptop computers.

Energy is what matters most.

As a "manager," the smartest thing you can do is to manage your own energy and, in effect, lead by example.

As an "employee" or "follower," the smartest thing you can do is not blame your boss or wait for him or her to tell you what to do. Instead (you guessed it), manage your own energy.

Let's do a little thought experiment. First close your eyes and pick a meeting you have attended in which the leader droned on and on about processes and execution and project management and blah blah blah. What happened to the energy in the room?

Now, keep your eyes closed and imagine a concert you attended in which the lead performer almost instantly got everyone on their feet, dancing and singing and 100% focused on the the excitement of the moment. What happened to the energy in that space?

Be like the second example.

Pick the energy you bring into each interaction.