Your own energy and the energy of your organisation?
Ignited Energy in Organisations
Organisation Development (OD) Consultant
PAOLO GIURICICH CA(SA) – Founder and owner of smart EQ (www.smart-EQ.com)
Flourishing organisations have an amazing ability to harness energy for growth, through their culture and people. They also have energy in reserve for tough times. How are we able to work with energy and notice what increases and depletes energy?
My reflections over the last few weeks led me to make notable observations on the ebbs and flows of my own energy. This was done in the context of physicality and the organisations I was working with. The data was profound and led me to dig a little deeper.
In 2011, Spreitzer, Lam & Quinn and Vogel & Bruch wrote ‘The significant impact of energy in organisations is now supported by research which has demonstrated that the type and level of energy affects individual well-being, health and vitality, leadership effectiveness, employee connectivity, productivity, commitment and job satisfaction, organisation coordination and strategic change, and the ability to achieve organisational goals.’
At this time of year, I am encountering a lot of low energy and negativity in organisations. I partially ascribe this to people simply being burnt out and disappointed with the slow progress that they have made this year. People are pressurised to finish projects, yet little cognisance is given to the fact that this low level of energy, will stifle organisational goals ultimately, as the humans behind the corporate veils’, seek reprieve.
On the flip side, I am also encountering a lot of positive, ignited energy in organisations. These organisations are doing things differently and their environments are not what we know. An example of this would be when I showed up for a meeting at a new client and there was no meeting room. We simply found an open space in the building to collaborate. In doing so, we built relationships in an open way and met many other people in the organisation, who would become vital partners to the intended work. This would not have happened behind closed doors in the boardroom!
As an Organisation Development Consultant, my ability to notice energy intensity, type and the flow thereof, in the businesses that I serve, provides tangible data on what is really transpiring, under the surface. This assessment can be vital to people understanding the context and environment in which they work, and how best to navigate the landscape for maximum personal learning and growth and ultimate business success.
What are you noticing about your own energy and the energy of your organisation?
Energy and Leadership
Be the leader that helps to remove energy blockages in the differing layers of your organisation.
Be the leader that notices energy hotspots, and steps in to work intentionally, with the high intensity, to harness possibility.
Be the leader that notices low energy and seeks to understand the symptoms and consequences and takes decisive actions.
Be the leader that assists people to release unwanted energy in service of dealing with unfinished business and moving forward.
Be the leader that attends to overall organisation health and well-being for guaranteed business success.
