Are you a Positive Energiser? The What? The Why? The How?

I just got back from New York, New York, the city that never sleeps!

Such incredible energy and how appropriate that I got to talk there about 'Positive Energisers' and how we can build and harness Positive Relational Energy to enhance both individual and organisational well-being and performance.

So are you a Positive Energiser? To find out what this means, why it's important and how to become one, read on!

In Montreal last year at the World Congress on Positive Psychology (The science of 'what makes life WORTH living') I heard a great keynote from Dr. Kim Cameron from the University of Michigan, Ross School of Business, Centre for Positive Organisations, that has really impacted on my work as an organisational coach over the last year. I've found that my clients really engage with these ideas and research and how they can be practically applied.

Kim and his team have compiled 20 years of research across a range of different types of organisations looking at what enables them to thrive and achieve extraordinary performance, despite the turbulent times we face. The evidence Kim presented boils down to recognising, supporting and harnessing the Positive Energisers in your organisation.

Dr. Kim Cameron at the IPPA World Congress on Positive Psychology, Montreal, 2017 talking about Positive Leadership & Positive Energy

What is a Positive Energiser?

Kim states that “Positive energy is not a personality attribute, inherent charisma, or physical attractiveness. It’s not a matter of merely being gregarious or outgoing. It’s not correlated with being extroverted.”  The Positive Energisers are however the 'Positive Deviants' - those people who, despite facing all the same challenges this volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world brings:

• Still say 'yes we can!'
• Generate and experience emotions such as hope, inspiration, curiosity, pride, joy, awe, amusement, gratitude, serenity and love
• See change and challenge as a way to embrace opportunity and innovation rather than as a threat
• Seek to collaborate not just compete, ask for help and offer it too
• Look for solutions rather than focus on problems
• Smile and show genuine care and interest in those around them
• Are willing to take a risk, don't seek to blame and learn by their mistakes

Importantly they are also the ones who others go to when they want to be 'pepped up' and those who others say give them more vitality and stamina to do their work. They elevate, attract and enrich. Essentially Positive Energisers create Positive Relational Energy.

Think about it - a friend of mine ran the New York marathon last week which was an amazing feat but the Physical Energy she used exhausted her and she needed time to recover. Similarly if we expend a large amount of Mental Energy on intellectual tasks or Emotional Energy in a conflict situations we are likely to be drained and need time out for rest or risk burnout, particularly if the demands are relentless. Positive Relational Energy on the other hand uplifts, invigourates and energises those who possess it and creates a ripple effect to those around them too. So who are your Positive Energisers? Who would you categorise in this way?

Why are Positive Energisers so important?

Positive Relational Energy is nourishing, life giving and affirming. The benefits associated with it's use in organisations include significantly higher levels of work satisfaction, performance, productivity and where appropriate profitability. It also contributes to increased health, well-being and family enrichment so it is a positive influence on both work and home life. This is such an important finding bearing in mind the negative impact workplace stress can have on home and family relationships.

So are YOU a Positive Energiser?

If you are a leader or manager this is a vital question to reflect on because Kim's research on the mapping of energy networks in organisations shows that often leaders and managers are NOT the Positive Energisers (as much as they may like to think they are!).

In fact leaders and managers can be significant drainers of relational energy. Sometimes through their own stress or lack of well-being they can actually see the Positive Energisers around them as a threat and literally squash them!

How many amazing, bright, kind and positive people have you met that have been crushed by their boss, the culture of their organisation or the environment within which they work? Maybe you have experienced this yourself? I see this regularly in my work.

How can you become a Positive Energiser and build Positive Relational Energy?

1. Invest in your own capacity to experience more positive emotions and generally improve your emotional management
2. Discover and actively build on your real strengths - the attributes that engage, drive and energise you
3. Learn to be more present with others - suspend your own needs and aspirations and be interested in theirs, noticing their strengths and what's working well
4. Refresh your sense of meaning in your work and life. What is your why (values & purpose)? Where do you best fit (coherence)? How do you add value (worth)?
5. Ensure you set yourself some intrinsic goals that you really want to achieve and reflect more on what you love to do and how to do more of it
6. Eat well, exercise, get enough sleep and learn to be more mindful either through savouring and enjoying the moment, through being grateful or practicing mindfulness.
7. Invest in a coach to help you apply evidence-based approaches to assess and reflect on your own levels of engagement, well-being and performance, set goals and take action steps to build or sustain your positive energy
8. Harness the Positive Energisers around you and give them a coach to ensure they are able to shine and flourish within your organisation

We can all become Positive Energisers. It's about understanding what Positive Relational Energy is, its benefits to ourselves, those around us and our organisations and making determined choices to both generate it and protect it. Coaching can be the key!

Clive Leach M.Org.Coaching works widely across the corporate, public and education sectors providing leadership, executive and career development coaching alongside programs focusing on well-being, mental toughness and Positive Education. For information about Clive's coaching offer please contact [email protected] or direct message through LinkedIn.