Leadership Generates Energy

Some leaders are almost electric. You can feel the energy radiate from them. They are a source of power that ignites the hearts and minds of the people around them. They attract people like magnets. They can focus their energy on accomplishing their goals.

The leaders who generate energy do not need an external connection to a power source. They need to take time to recharge. The source of their energy is within them.

The leaders who generate energy do not draw strength from being in positions of responsibility. Their leadership does not come from a title, but from within themselves.

The leaders who have shared their spark with me, kindling and rekindling my flame, recognize and feed their own energy. They appreciate that their leadership is part of who they are in very deep ways.

One of the leaders who inspired me did not go out of his way to motivate me. He did not even seem to notice whether I was listening to what he said. He asked me questions, but did not give many direct answers.

Eventually I asked him how he had learned to lead the way he did. He smiled, and told me he had never really learned to lead. He had struggled to study leadership, but none of the books he read taught him what he wanted to know. He decided that the best way for him to lead was trial and error.

He chose a two-step approach to leadership. The first step was to ask honest questions as often as possible. The second step was to take time each day to reflect on the responses he received.

His approach helped me explore my own leadership energy within.

Who are the leaders who generate energy that inspires you?

Where is the source of your leadership energy?

[Image by Nicholas Petrone]