The way that leaders create, convey, and manage energy throughout the organisation can mean the difference between delivering high performance and constantly missing targets.
According “Good Vibrations: Practical Guide to Create and Amplify Energy” by Boston Consulting Group, here are some practical suggestions that CEOs use to manage their personal as well as their organisation’s energy:
Review your calendar to identify energy-draining and energy-renewing activities
One former CEO conducted regular “energy audits” of his calendar to assess “give energy” and “take energy” meetings.
Another former CEO said, “It’s a pretty good way to keep your balance. Are you scheduling enough of the energy meetings that you want to have, with people you want to meet with?”
Stay curious
Several CEOs mentioned the role of curiosity in refueling and as an antidote to the routine of the job.
As one top executive said, “Curiosity is a verb. Our business requires stimulation and newness.” This CEO actually sets aside time to explore new places and ideas.
Establish limits, especially when traveling
Several CEOs talked about how draining it can be to hold numerous back-to-back meetings. “You don’t want to line up four or five stressful events in a row, if you can avoid it,” a former CEO said.
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A number of CEOs who told us that they were natural introverts said that they consciously manage their calendars so they do not need to be “on” for long stretches of time.
“I have rules. No breakfasts before 8:00 am. This is so I can get up, work out, run through my e-mails—and then I can rock and roll,” a CEO said. “No late nights, no late parties. I must be back before 9:30 pm. If I am traveling for a week, I want one night to myself.”
Plan meetings to maximize energy output
Several CEOs who consider themselves “morning people” said that they try to hold critical meetings before lunch. One company has tried to schedule most meetings for Mondays so that employees can focus on their work the rest of the week.
“It created positive energy. People felt that their time was not being consumed by meetings,” the CEO said. “Collapsing meetings into one day is energy efficient.”
Other CEOs try to hold meetings in locations that facilitate energy exchange, such as at business units rather than in the executive suite, or they set up the room in a way that facilitates open communication.
At town halls, one CEO arranges the room in a circle. “I stand in the center so people are looking at one another,” he said. “It says, ‘I’m not here to speak to you.’ It’s about engaging with one another. It’s not about talking down from a podium.”
Successful CEOs leave nothing to chance when they participate in meetings or interactions that can create positive energy, neither should you.
Read the full article here “Good Vibrations: Practical Guide to Create and Amplify Energy”
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