82% of Managers Are Working at the Wrong Energy Level
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BusinessNewsDaily
The energy level for many business leaders isn't quite right, new research suggests.
Too many business leaders are working above or below their optimum
energy level, which translates to a loss of productivity all around,
according to the recent Leadership Pulse study. Specifically, 82% of business leaders are not working at their best energy level, which is when they maximize productivity, meet challenges head on and look for opportunities to accomplish more.
Of the 540 business leaders who participated in the study, 61%
reported working below their optimal energy level, while 21% are working
above their best energy level. Just 18% of those studied were working at their most productive energy level.
The findings are a cause for concern, said Theresa Welbourne, an
affiliated researcher at the Center for Effective Organizations at the
University of Southern California Marshall School of Business and the
study's author.
"We have over 15 years of research from hundreds of thousands of
individuals showing that optimizing and directing energy positively
drives high performance and growth," Welbourne said in a statement.
Welbourne said working above your best energy level is
counterproductive because mistakes are made more frequently, and small
obstacles easily become big problems. She said working at this level for
too long can lead to burnout.
Conversely, when leaders work too far below their optimal energy
level, they avoid challenges and boredom sets in easily, Welbourne said.
The research found that among the leaders surveyed, this was
particularly a problem for senior managers, vice presidents and CEOs.
Welbourne said in order improve energy and productivity business
leaders need to measure and understand their own energy and that of
their employees.
"Energy changes on a regular basis; thus, to optimize and direct it,
more frequent measurement needs to be taken," she said. "Once an
organization knows what the energy levels are, then leaders, managers
and employees can focus on how to make improvements that directly drive
positive energy."
Often, small and quick changes can have lasting and substantial impact on employee energy at work, according to Welbourne.
"The best solution may be working with employees directly; teach
individuals about their own energy and help them learn how to start the
right conversations needed to make small changes to improve performance
one person at a time," Welbourne said.
Welbourne conducts the quarterly Leadership Pulse study in
partnership with CEO, human resources consulting firm Mercer and
technology partner eePulse.
Source:Mashable