We found that the greatest predictor of success for leaders is not their charisma, influence, or power. It is not personality, attractiveness, or innovative genius. The one thing that supersedes all these factors is positive relational energy: the energy exchanged between people that helps uplift, enthuse, and renew them.
Emma Seppälä, Yale School of Management, and Kim Cameron, Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan
Takeaways of Note:
Positive Energizers:
- Are themselves high performers
- Positively impact others’ performance – people tend to flourish in their presence
- Exist in greater numbers at high-performing organizations than at average-performing organizations
When the leader is a Positive Energizer, the organization has greater (1) Innovation, (2) Teamwork, (3) Financial performance – productivity & quality, and (4) Workplace Cohesion
When a leader is a positive energizer, team members have greater:
- Job satisfaction
- Well-being
- Engagement
- Performance
- Relationships with family
Bonus Nuggets:
Energizers’ greatest secret is that, by uplifting others through authentic, values-based leadership, they end up lifting up both themselves and their organizations. Positive energizers demonstrate and cultivate virtuous actions, including forgiveness, compassion, humility, kindness, trust, integrity, honesty, generosity, gratitude, and recognition in the organization. As a result, everyone flourishes.
Can organizations flourish with leaders who deplete rather than generate energy? Of course — in the short term. But the empirical evidence is clear that positive energy is far more effective long term.