Why Energy Management Is the Hidden Secret of Project Leadership
Vatsal Gadhia, CSM?
Certified ScrumMaster? | Accredited Great People Manager? | Senior Technical Project Manager at Rishabh Software
Intensively managing away from budgets, timelines, and deliverables can be necessary when discussing project management. Now here’s an interesting question – how many times do we address energy? Certainly, not the coffee-induced, work-late-night variety, but the type that motivates decisions, unlocks creativity, or fosters collaboration – human energy.
At risk of being blunt, the management of energy rather than solely tasks is one of the weaknesses in how successful projects get led. Let us consider a few strategies to sustain your energy and the energy of your team members.
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1. Harness Your Team’s Energy, Instead of Working Against It
There’s this one in a million type of a person that is able to drag their feet to work and still arrive with the energy to complete several difficult tasks at the very beginning of their demanding work schedule. And yes, there is also that type of other person who will complete breath-taking amounts of work in the afternoon just because it's their sweet spot to get started. And that’s because there is a biological clock that every individual operates with. Making use of this information should help you determine when your team should be performing the most challenging tasks.
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As an example, knowing when your employees’ working hours are quite casual and wouldn’t need maximum concentration, plan brainstorming sessions for that hour. An example of this would be how some people work best in the mornings. Therefore, a group that prefers early lunchtime should be accustomed to working at that time. It might sound too casual, though a bit of openness on this front can enhance creativity as well as improve concentration.
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2. Busy Doesn’t Always Mean Productive
Creating a to-do list with certain designated tasks to be completed on time sounds interesting and also provides structure to your day. We have all felt the dissatisfaction of working through numerous tasks all day long yet feeling uneasy at the end of the day. There are so many people, and multiple people have many different tasks accumulating and the standard practice now is to just delegate and offload the responsibility which leads to heavy stress. Thanks to the long days, let us focus on working smart, not hard.
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This is such a great goal, that we don’t even know how to achieve it sometimes. Practice focusing on a single task for a certain amount of time, like using the Pomodoro technique. You can incentivize your team with short breaks, so they don't feel the pressure of staring at their screens ceaselessly. Many times, a walk outside for barely a few minutes can get some great refreshing ideas out in the open.
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3. Celebrate Progress Along the Way
What can be better than fanfare once a big goal has been achieved? Even though people have a tendency of wholly harnessing the big accomplishments, smaller goals when achieved must be celebrated as well. Accomplishing lesser tasks and meeting lesser deadlines make room for the injection of motivation into your team.
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In a working session, it can be enough to just say a quick word of appreciation or send a “thank you” note, and this must really be a lot. This ensures members of your team that they have put in an effort, and all such good feelings have a snowballing effect.
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4. Lead by Example—Take Care of Your Own Energy
As a leader, you have a lot of energy that is modified by the others in your team. If you drop the ball on your life balance, your team is going to suffer as well. As a leader, it is therefore necessary for you to focus on self-care.
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Go ahead and cut off any unnecessary conversations and activities. For once, give yourself a breather. Too much of work will not only drain your physical resources but also the mental ones, and hence come back in a productive way. Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish; it’s smart leadership.
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5. Create a Positive, Energized Team Culture
Energy lies in an environment where people feel supported and embraced. Small things, such as appreciation, listening free from judgment, and a touch of humor, can make even the most difficult situations bearable.
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Structure This empathy for tradition doesn't happen overnight, but little things every day add up. Show your team; it's okay. You will see the disparity between their energy and participation when it comes to human existence.
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Final Thoughts
Controlling energy International Relations and Security Network Thymine is just a nice thing to have in project oversight – it's a secret sauce containing all that is united. You don't just have a thriving business; you're creating a better way of working.
So how are you able to keep your group stimulated and determined? Please tell me – let me know – study from an individual point of view!