How Leaders Get Teams to Perform With Focussed Energy and Enthusiasm

Have you noticed that people are lively at parties and sombre at business meetings? Which environment is more energetic? How do you create "party" energy at work?

Feb 13

The amount of energy that a human being expends is a direct result of the level of their emotional state. When we’re furious we are compelled to hit out. When we’re aroused by lively music we want to get up and dance or sad music might move us to tears.

Our emotions are aroused by input from our senses, our beliefs, and goals that are meaningful to us.

When we hear high-tempo music and see others leap up to dance we often feel impelled to join the rush to the dance floor. When we believe that what we’re doing is important we work harder. When we compete to achieve a goal that will bring us recognition or status we try our best.

Conversely, when we enter a conference room where the atmosphere is somber and our colleagues tend to look serious we feel defensive. The environment is not conducive to a high-energy state. Is it any wonder we often feel bored in business meetings?

The first requirement of inspiring leadership

At a party, it is the sound of the music that focuses people on the dance floor and gets them moving.

So, what can a leader use to get people energized at a business meeting?

I would suggest that the first requirement is an exciting, stimulating vision to which each team member readily relates. In other words, the vision has to be stimulating or meaningful to each team member.

A stimulating vision has to answer a simple question, “Why are we doing this?”

A stimulating vision that has meaning can unite the entire team and create a common sense of purpose, a common direction, and a reason why I should expend my energy.

In a speech to Congress in May 1961, President John F. Kennedy ignited America’s space program with this speech:

"I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish."

What a vision from an inspirational leader!

What is the vision that you and your team can create to inspire you all to unite in your efforts to achieve your team’s goals?

Why are you doing what you’re doing?

The second requirement for raising enthusiasm is behavior

Set a style of behavior that is lively and energetic. Show your enthusiasm for the projects in which the team is engaged.

Use your body and your facial expressions to show people how much you care about what you are doing.

Encourage those who behave positively and with enthusiasm to be physically expressive about the way they work.

When your whole team moves energetically they create energy and that energy makes them highly productive.

The third requirement for people to let their energy go is safety

You want to encourage an environment in which people feel free to be creative, express their ideas and thoughts, and contribute to expanding the thoughts and ideas of others. This will only happen when there is no fear of being criticized, put down, or belittled by others.

Foster the idea of, “I support others, therefore I am supported.”

People thrive and create in “no-fear” environments. They clam up and become stale when they fear the comments of their colleagues.

Ask your team leaders aspirational questions like: “Was everything as good as you would like it to have been with your team this week?” Have a blame-free conversation about what went wrong and what could have been better.

Start small focus groups within your teams where people talk about the issues they face and make suggestions about what might work better.

When people speak up a good leader responds with appreciation, and respect and offers a possible way to move forward.

Failure is an essential part of learning

I believe that many of the problems we face in business arise because people are afraid to make mistakes. I also believe that the fear originates from the way we bring up children at home and in our schools. We are too prone to say things like: “Don’t do that, that’s naughty, that’s wrong.”

When we speak to young minds in this way we are emphasizing the negative and suggesting that adults always have to be right. In other words, we are discouraging experimentation. But trial and error is a great way to learn, provided we are in a learning frame of mind.

Food for your Leader’s Mind

Be aware of the emotions flowing around you in the workplace and constantly consider how to channel them for greater productivity.
With your team, create a team vision that is inspiring and challenging.
Show your enthusiasm for what you’re doing with your body language.
Create a fearless work environment in which people want to express themselves.
Let your team know that failure is an essential part of learning and encourage “investigation” and “study” of events that do not go as planned.