The Leadership Energy Crisis

On Working with Your Energy Instead of Against It: Part 4 of 5 in Our Productive Leadership Challenge

Image from 16personalities.com

TLDR:

• Leaders often push through fatigue using willpower alone, which actually depletes motivation further

• Understanding your energy patterns reveals when you’re most effective for different types of tasks

• The most productive leaders match high-value work to high-energy periods rather than forcing focus

• Simple energy-boosting activities can restore focus (and replenish mental resources) without taking much time

• Sustainable productivity comes from managing energy, not just managing time

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Hello and welcome to Day 4 of our Productive Leadership Challenge. 👋

Today, we’re diving into something that has the potential to transform how you lead: working with your energy instead of against it. How many times have you stared at your perfectly crafted to-do list, completely unable to summon the motivation to tackle it? That’s not a planning problem. It’s an energy problem.

Before we dive in, here’s where you can catch up on the Productive Leadership Challenge:

• Day 1: Starting the Day with Intention

• Day 2: Facing What You’re Avoiding

• Day 3: Finding Focus in a Busy Schedule

• Day 4: Working with Your Energy (You Are Here)

• Day 5: Setting the Tone for Your Team

The Leadership Energy Crisis

Picture this: It’s 3 PM, and you’re staring at a critical presentation you need to finish. Your mind feels like it’s wading through quicksand. So what do you do? Probably what most leaders do – grab another coffee, push through the fog, and power on.

Sound familiar?

The research is sobering: 53% of managers reported feeling burned out in Microsoft’s 2022 Work Trend Index – even more than their direct reports. And according to research by Deloitte, nearly 70% of C-suite executives have seriously considered quitting for positions that better support their well-being. We’re in the midst of a leadership energy crisis.

When you’re constantly operating in this depleted state, everything suffers. That strategic vision you were excited about last week? It now feels overwhelming. That team member who needs coaching? You find yourself postponing the conversation. Again.

The problem isn’t your dedication or work ethic. It’s that you’re fighting a losing battle against your own limits.

Motivation Without Willpower