Why Leaders Must Learn to Manage Their Energy Successfully

“Your 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."

This is one of my favorite quotes by Peter Drucker as it encapsulates the necessity of leaders to take care of themselves and do what is needed to show up fully before trying to be present and supportive of others. I think many leaders minimize the impact they have on the people around them. They don't realize how their direct reports are taking cues from their energy and utilizing this in either a positive or negative manner.

If you've come here in search of tips on how to be a more effective leader by managing your time, you're in the wrong place. Many emerging and experienced leaders think that if they can manage their time better, they'll be able to achieve more throughout the workday and quickly climb the corporate ladder.

Sure, I could share a few tricks I've learned throughout the years to manage your time better, allowing you to squeeze more into your working hours. But how sustainable is that? Do you really want to spend Monday through Friday cramming in as much as possible, never pausing to take a breath?

There is a better way. Rather than learning how to manage time, leaders must discover how to manage their energy. Here's why:

To Sustain Their Pace

Leaders usually possess innate qualities that prevent them from being able to stop - stop thinking, stop planning, stop acting. It's not viable. Leaders who work this way will burn out faster than their peers who are able to manage their energy. A successful leader prioritizes the things that re-energize them, such as eight hours of sleep or not checking email after leaving the office, allowing them to continually meet the demands of a fast-paced work environment.

To Manage Their Workload

Leaders often have bigger workloads/more important tasks and must manage their energy to continue doing the job. Strategies to tackle a demanding workload include time batching, in which you group similar types of tasks and complete them when you know you are at your best. So, if you're a morning person, you might work on important items when you first clock in, such as business development or complex reports, which require a lot of brain power and attention to detail.

To Increase Team Morale and Efficiency

Finally, leaders need to manage their energy because it affects their direct report's energy and, therefore, the efficiency and results of the team as a whole. For example, imagine you're up against a deadline and attempting to complete a project, but your direct reports continually interrupt your flow by stopping by your office to ask questions. Not only do you miss your deadline, but you're probably not in a great mood. It can be challenging to hide your emotions from your peers when you feel overwhelmed or drained, so they begin to pick up on your energy and mirror it. Avoid this issue by communicating boundaries. Silence your phone, shut your door and tell your co-workers you need to work on something and will respond within a certain time.

It all starts from within. If you're a happy and fulfilled leader, your direct reports will share that energy, creating a better work environment all around.

Ready to take your leadership to the next level? Schedule a call with the High Impact Coach.