Leadership Energy and Confidence Declines

Energy predicts not only firm performance outcomes, but when gathered at the individual employee level, it predicts turnover, absenteeism, customer satisfaction, team outcomes, performance appraisal scores (using 360 feedback systems) and even patient satisfaction in hospital settings.  Leaders’ energy is important because it predicts employee energy, and overall employee energy predicts performance and productivity.

Why is leadership energy and confidence on the decline?

Leaders have too much work to accomplish in the amount of hours they can devote to their work.  The most recent business environment led to layoffs, cautious hiring, and risk-averse business practice.  Additionally, slow but sure growth has led to more work with less people.

How do individuals function in this environment?

They “surf” from project to project—doing a little bit of work on each one.  The logic is that if an employee does enough on each one, then each pile goes down a bit, and managers and co-workers are placated. But in reality, the individual succeeds at nothing.  He or she doesn’t finish projects, feels inadequate and becomes deenergized.

Today’s leaders face an additional battle: They’re worried—actually scared—that their best and brightest people will leave. Because if really well-organized employees—those who know the business and understand how to get things done—leave, then you have to hire someone new and train that person to come up to speed.

Source: American Management Association newsletter article, Stacking Work Syndrome: A New Management Malady by Theresa M. Welbourne, Ph.D., CEO of eePulse, Inc. (www.eePulse.com) and adjunct professor of executive education at the University of Michigan Business School.