Energy is key to building support for our ideas including major projects in organizations. I tend to look at energy on a continuum between resistance and support. It is always alive either working for us or against us.

Recently, I was exploring some ideas with an executive, and she said,  “low energy is a barrier even bigger than money, lack of time, system challenges, vendor problems or whatever obstacles that we may think influences the project.”

This is the first in a series of posts about what I am learning and exploring with regard to energy as it relates to influence.

Stephanie Hartman, a friend and fellow consultant, just sent me her article titled: Inside Out Best Practice: Double Team Change Leadership.  

She writes, “. . . it is well known that organizational changes are better poised for success when respected, influential leaders are at the project’s helm. The challenge though is that the leadership skills needed to drive the effort vary throughout the phases of a change initiative. This problem is compounded by the tendency for the charismatic strategists who get tapped to drive these efforts to lose energy when the effort shifts from strategy development to plan implementation. And, they almost never have anything left in the tank when it comes time for change sustainment.” 

Stephanie suggests creating two change leadership teams, one that focuses on strategy and the other on implementation. While some people may be members of both teams, she argues that this separation allows organizations to “best leverage their talents.”

I think that Stephanie offers an idea well worth our attention. I hope you will take a look.  

For more on my current thinking on energy, please take a look at the video on The Energy Bar™ www.energybartools.com  

~ Rick Maurer