Bullish On Books

Published: Monday, 26 Oct 2009 | 10:31 AM ET

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Author David Cottrell (of the Monday Morning Mentoring series) is back with some great ideas on how to generate positive energy at work. I thought you could use this to jump start your week on this Monday Morning.

Learn from Einstein how to energize your organization.

Guest Blog by David Cottrell author of Monday Morning Motivation: Five Steps to Energize Your Team, Customers, and Profits

Albert Einstein’s formula E=mc² has been called the most celebrated equation of all time. He was the first scientist to propose that mass and energy were two forms of the same thing, and that neither appears without the other.  His deceptively simple formula laid the groundwork for the development of both nuclear energy and nuclear weapons.

I believe that Einstein’s formula reaches beyond the realm of science and can be applied in the world of business.  Creating sustained energy within organizations is one of the principle drivers for long-term success.

Try out this formula to create organizational energy:

E represents your organization’s energy;
M represents mass—the people;
c represents the conductors of organizational energy
and ² represents the leader’s effect on the organization.

Here’s how it works: Every organization has mass—and this mass, required for growth and sustainability, is represented by the employees. The critical mass represents a point at which there exists enough momentum in a movement for the movement to sustain itself and even expand on its own. The critical mass is often moved by a large, sweeping factor, such as a sudden shift in market conditions or the development of a revolutionary product.

Monday Morning Motivation

Energy must be conducted toward goals.

A conductor is a medium that allows heat, electricity, light or sound pass along it or through it.

The five conductors in our equation include: 1) synchronization—ensures that all the areas are in synch and working together toward a common goal; 2) speed—brings swift, decisive action if adjustments are required; 3) communication—connects the team to goals and ensures that everyone knows their role; 4) customer passion—a strong connection with customers creates customer loyalty, which provides the profits necessary for continued growth; and 5) integrity—ensures the organization adheres to core values like honesty and truth.

Unlike the other conductors, integrity is more like a master switch. If integrity is compromised, the other conductors are unnecessary since the organization will be sapped out of energy.

The force multiplier of energy is the leader whose role is to create a climate where positive energy becomes the conduit for more positive energy. When you hire the right people, surround them with support, help them direct their positive energy and be a positive role model, the positive energy level of the team increases.

Energy is not something you can see, touch, or smell.  You can only see its results. Sure, you can sense its presence through enthusiasm for accomplishments. You can also sense its power at various times, but you can’t actually see it, as you can see growth.  The only way to measure energy is to understand the conductors of energy—synchronization, speed, communication, customer passion, and integrity.  When the conductors are monitored and measured, your energy will be reflected in your bottom-line success.           

All organizations have a reservoir of vast energy just waiting to be released. That is the task of the leader—to find ways to tap into that energy, conduct it and multiply it. In taking on that leadership task, remember three things:

1. Leaders get what they do. You are the role model that your team is following. People follow leaders—more than value statements, mission statements, memos, and emails.
2. The more involved leaders are, the more energy they create. Let your team help - they are collectively better informed than you—all you have to do is ask them the right questions, and you’ll find that they have the right answers.
3. Get the right people in the right jobs. Nothing is more important to the energy of an organization than having the right people on the team.

You are the ultimate energizer. Challenge yourself. Dig deep into the role of a leader. Become a life-long learner. Keep your knowledge fresh and your attitude positive. Develop and apply new skills to help accelerate your growth. Your energy is contagious!

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David Cottrell

David Cottrell is CEO of CornerStone Leadership Institute and author of Monday Morning Motivation: Five Steps to Energize Your Team, Customers, and Profits. Cottrell, President and CEO of CornerStone Leadership Institute, is an internationally-known leadership consultant, educator, and speaker. His business experience includes senior management positions with Xerox and FedEx. His 25-plus years of professional experience are reflected in 22 highly acclaimed books. He has been a featured expert on public television and has presented his leadership message to over 250,000 managers worldwide.

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