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Managing Energy is the Key to Sustaining High Performance

“To be fully engaged in our lives, we must be physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused, and spiritually aligned with a purpose beyond our immediate self-interest.” – Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz, The Power of Full Engagement (2003) 

Some executives thrive under pressure, others wilt. There is an epidemic of stress and burnout in our personal and work lives. We pride ourselves on our ability to multi-task and use computer aids to organize the demands on our time; we become more efficient and take on more responsibilities, and with them, more stress.  

Even when managing our time well we still end up exhausted and stressed, unable to concentrate, keep focus, and be productive. That’s because the problem isn’t time management, it’s energy. One major quality that executives seek for themselves and their employees is sustained high performance in the face of ever-increasing pressure and rapid change, and that takes energy.

The tools for sustaining high performance are not taught in business schools. Leadership development courses rarely broach the issue of energy management, either individually or organizationally. Depleted energy may be one of the reasons more than two-thirds of employees feel less than fully engaged at work (Gallup Organization, 2004).

Some of the secrets of sustaining energy and high performance come from studying professional athletes. Professional athletes spend most of their time training and, at most, a few hours a day actually competing. Corporate executives, however, have almost no time for training and must perform at peak levels under intense scrutiny and competition for often 12 or 14 hours a day. Most professional sports have an off season of several months. The typical executive has several weeks of vacation; even then, as many as 47 percent report taking their laptops to answer e-mail during their breaks. The career of the athlete spans 7 years on average; that of a corporate executive may last 40 or 50 years.

The skillful management of energy—both individually and organizationally—makes sustaining peak performance possible. According to authors Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz in their book,The Power of Full Engagement (2003), we need to rethink much of what we’ve believed about organizing our lives. We need to learn two new rules:

1. Energy is the fundamental currency of high performance.

2. Performance, health, and happiness are grounded in the skillful management of energy.

Will be continued...

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

Paul Anovick

201-445-2822

Managing Energy is the Key to Sustaining High Performance

This is part two of the Blog posted on Thursday, August 13, 2009

Lack of Energy, Lack of Full Engagement

Full engagement ought to be a bottom line priority. Companies incur unnecessary costs in the billions because of unengaged people who are just showing up for work—estimated at $350 billion a year by the Gallup Organization. Few executives or managers understand energy management and how to build it into daily routines. Yet the ability to sustain drive and passion throughout the work day—and have some left over for family at the end of the day—is based on acquiring a few positive habits and understanding energy management concepts.

These principles were discovered by studying the differences between highly successful professional athletes and those who “also ran.” At top levels, most sports stars are highly talented. The difference between the consistent winners and the others is in their ability to manage and conserve their energy. Top tennis players, for example, use certain rituals between games to help them remain focused and manage negative emotions. Their heart rates can drop 20 percent between points. Other talented players who do not engage in positive recovery rituals do not show such recovery signs and are not consistent winners.

The 4 Principles of Energy Management

The same principles can be applied to corporate executives. Here are the basic concepts, from Loehr and Schwartz:

1.    Energy has four dimensions: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. It is necessary to draw energy from each domain and to manage it in all four.
2.    Energy is best managed when there is oscillation between stress and recovery. Stress in this case is meant in a positive sense. Stress is what makes us stretch ourselves and use our talents and skills; however, it must be balanced with recovery and rest, and most of us don’t know how to do this.
3.    Pushing beyond our usual limits builds our strengths. Building mental, emotional, and spiritual capacities is similar to physical training to improve our strength or cardiovascular abilities. We must push in order to grow.
4.    Creating specific positive energy replenishing rituals sustains and expands our energy. This is the key to recuperating and making our energy reserves fully available to us.

Too much energy spent with insufficient rest and recovery leads to trouble. Life is not a marathon, but rather a series of sprints. All of life and nature is built upon rhythms and oscillations, including the tides, the sun, the moon, and our physiological functions. Yet, so many of us are in a hurry because we think in terms of linear time; we forget to create quality moments. Most of us are in a race against the clock and make incredible demands on our energy reserves as if we had unlimited resources.

Creating More Physical Energy

Executives can perform successfully even if they smoke, drink, and weigh too much. Much of their work is sedentary, yet they may excel without having any regular exercise routine. Obviously many do live and work this way, but they cannot perform to their full potential or without a cost over time to themselves, their families, and the corporations for which they work. It can be compared to trying to get peak performance out of a computer whose hardware and software is several years outdated. High mental, emotional, and spiritual energy requires that the body be in good physical condition.

Most approaches to high performance in executives and leaders deal with cognitive or emotional competencies. Some theorists have addressed the spiritual dimension as well, how deeper values and a sense of purpose influence performance. Surprisingly, almost no one has paid any attention to the role played by physical capacities. An integrated theory of performance management addresses the body, mind, emotions, and spirit, considering the person as a whole.

The body is our fundamental source of energy, and anyone concerned about high levels of performance under intense pressures must be concerned with the physical domain. Sports science is clear about the body’s need for both stress and recovery. For any muscle to grow stronger it must be stressed and then given time to heal. Repeated demands combined with recovery result in increased strength. Conversely, failure to stress the muscle results in weakness and atrophy. These same principles are true in all four domains of energy sources: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Growth occurs when there is demand, stress, and recovery.

Even if you are at a desk most of the day, you need physical energy. It begins with attention to breathing, a healthy diet, good sleeping habits, plenty of water, daily physical exercise, and recovery breaks every 90 to 120 minutes.

Although this may sound like hackneyed common sense everyone already knows, the evidence is clear: those executives who build into their daily and weekly routines exercise, healthy eating, good sleeping, and energy recovery breaks have more energy and are able to sustain performance under intense pressures.

Creating More Mental Energy

Physical and emotional energy help mental functioning. There is a correlation between productivity and positive thinking that generates mental energy. The most successful sales people have an optimistic explanatory style.

Thinking takes time, yet most jobs don’t build in time for rest, workout breaks, and thinking. They should. In fact, one of the most productive ways to think is during exercise, breaks, walks, jogs, a simple game, or just daydreaming. Build downtime into your day and allow your employees to do the same.

Other ways of creating more mental energy include varying activities so that different parts of the brain are used. Mental preparation, visualization, meditation, introspection, and reflection are all pathways to creativity and innovation. Taking time to connect with your organization’s mission, your personal purpose in life, and your true values are all ways of accessing your drive, passion, and energy.

Creating More Emotional Energy

Emotional energy expresses itself in self-confidence, self-discipline, sociability, and empathy. It’s possible to build positive emotions just as one would build muscles and physical strength. Professional athletes know how important it is to manage negative feelings during crucial points. Frustration, anger, or fear are toxic and can bring performance down. Executives who want to be able to perform well under stress must learn to “keep their eye on the ball” and manage negativity. The studies from the Hay-McBer Group have shown that leaders communicate their moods to their work groups in ways that directly affect the corporate bottom line.

Too few people recognize or try to create feelings of pleasure and joy, especially during grueling negotiations and intense business meetings. Research has shown, however, that humor and good feelings are contagious and can actually increase the chances of success in business relationships. Friendships are critical at work and affect job performance. Time taken for relationship building is crucial.

Creating More Spiritual Energy

Spiritual energy, in the sense meant here, has to do with your personal connection to your true values and deep sense of purpose. It depends on taking care of yourself and others with profound respect. It means honoring your values, paying attention to your gut instincts, and doing the right things. It is an amazing source of passion, fortitude, and commitment. Those people who connect with a purpose greater than their own personal interests demonstrate the most passion and energy. Spiritual energy also depends on developing past your limits and rest, recovery, and renewal.

The Power of Positive Rituals

Getting in shape to fully engage in life and work means deep involvement with purpose, values, and self-examination and the establishment of effective energy replenishing habits. First you must define your true values and what is most important to you, being positive and unselfish. Then you must be honest about where you are now and be willing to admit that your excuses are no longer good enough. Third, plan to take action on three positive rituals that will make a difference in your energy levels. Be precise about when you will engage in these positive rituals—what time, for how long, and on which days.

Some busy executives who have built breaks into their already overburdened schedules have been astonished at how they have expanded their capacities in all four domains of energy. These breaks can include deep breathing for a few seconds, doing a quick meditation, rereading a vision or mission statement, calling a loved one, running up and down stairs, taking a quick tour around colleagues’ cubicles for friendly chats, doing a few sit-ups or stretches, eating a healthy snack, or walking around the block. It doesn’t matter what one decides to do, but it is crucial to be specific about the time and activity. The idea is to reconnect with purpose and recuperate energy reserves.

Working with an executive coach is a good way to reevaluate your performance in the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual domains. Get real, get honest, get positive—stretch your capacities and then recuperate your energy. It is your most precious resource.

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

Paul Anovick

201-445-2822

Lack of Energy, Lack of Full Engagement

Full engagement ought to be a bottom line priority. Companies incur unnecessary costs in the billions because of unengaged people who are just showing up for work—estimated at $350 billion a year by the Gallup Organization. Few executives or managers understand energy management and how to build it into daily routines. Yet the ability to sustain drive and passion throughout the work day—and have some left over for family at the end of the day—is based on acquiring a few positive habits and understanding energy management concepts.

These principles were discovered by studying the differences between highly successful professional athletes and those who “also ran.” At top levels, most sports stars are highly talented. The difference between the consistent winners and the others is in their ability to manage and conserve their energy. Top tennis players, for example, use certain rituals between games to help them remain focused and manage negative emotions. Their heart rates can drop 20 percent between points. Other talented players who do not engage in positive recovery rituals do not show such recovery signs and are not consistent winners.

The 4 Principles of Energy Management

The same principles can be applied to corporate executives. Here are the basic concepts, from Loehr and Schwartz:

1.    Energy has four dimensions: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. It is necessary to draw energy from each domain and to manage it in all four.
2.    Energy is best managed when there is oscillation between stress and recovery. Stress in this case is meant in a positive sense. Stress is what makes us stretch ourselves and use our talents and skills; however, it must be balanced with recovery and rest, and most of us don’t know how to do this.
3.    Pushing beyond our usual limits builds our strengths. Building mental, emotional, and spiritual capacities is similar to physical training to improve our strength or cardiovascular abilities. We must push in order to grow.
4.    Creating specific positive energy replenishing rituals sustains and expands our energy. This is the key to recuperating and making our energy reserves fully available to us.

Too much energy spent with insufficient rest and recovery leads to trouble. Life is not a marathon, but rather a series of sprints. All of life and nature is built upon rhythms and oscillations, including the tides, the sun, the moon, and our physiological functions. Yet, so many of us are in a hurry because we think in terms of linear time; we forget to create quality moments. Most of us are in a race against the clock and make incredible demands on our energy reserves as if we had unlimited resources.

Creating More Physical Energy

Executives can perform successfully even if they smoke, drink, and weigh too much. Much of their work is sedentary, yet they may excel without having any regular exercise routine. Obviously many do live and work this way, but they cannot perform to their full potential or without a cost over time to themselves, their families, and the corporations for which they work. It can be compared to trying to get peak performance out of a computer whose hardware and software is several years outdated. High mental, emotional, and spiritual energy requires that the body be in good physical condition.

Most approaches to high performance in executives and leaders deal with cognitive or emotional competencies. Some theorists have addressed the spiritual dimension as well, how deeper values and a sense of purpose influence performance. Surprisingly, almost no one has paid any attention to the role played by physical capacities. An integrated theory of performance management addresses the body, mind, emotions, and spirit, considering the person as a whole.

The body is our fundamental source of energy, and anyone concerned about high levels of performance under intense pressures must be concerned with the physical domain. Sports science is clear about the body’s need for both stress and recovery. For any muscle to grow stronger it must be stressed and then given time to heal. Repeated demands combined with recovery result in increased strength. Conversely, failure to stress the muscle results in weakness and atrophy. These same principles are true in all four domains of energy sources: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Growth occurs when there is demand, stress, and recovery.

Even if you are at a desk most of the day, you need physical energy. It begins with attention to breathing, a healthy diet, good sleeping habits, plenty of water, daily physical exercise, and recovery breaks every 90 to 120 minutes.

Although this may sound like hackneyed common sense everyone already knows, the evidence is clear: those executives who build into their daily and weekly routines exercise, healthy eating, good sleeping, and energy recovery breaks have more energy and are able to sustain performance under intense pressures.

Creating More Mental Energy

Physical and emotional energy help mental functioning. There is a correlation between productivity and positive thinking that generates mental energy. The most successful sales people have an optimistic explanatory style.

Thinking takes time, yet most jobs don’t build in time for rest, workout breaks, and thinking. They should. In fact, one of the most productive ways to think is during exercise, breaks, walks, jogs, a simple game, or just daydreaming. Build downtime into your day and allow your employees to do the same.

Other ways of creating more mental energy include varying activities so that different parts of the brain are used. Mental preparation, visualization, meditation, introspection, and reflection are all pathways to creativity and innovation. Taking time to connect with your organization’s mission, your personal purpose in life, and your true values are all ways of accessing your drive, passion, and energy.

Creating More Emotional Energy

Emotional energy expresses itself in self-confidence, self-discipline, sociability, and empathy. It’s possible to build positive emotions just as one would build muscles and physical strength. Professional athletes know how important it is to manage negative feelings during crucial points. Frustration, anger, or fear are toxic and can bring performance down. Executives who want to be able to perform well under stress must learn to “keep their eye on the ball” and manage negativity. The studies from the Hay-McBer Group have shown that leaders communicate their moods to their work groups in ways that directly affect the corporate bottom line.

Too few people recognize or try to create feelings of pleasure and joy, especially during grueling negotiations and intense business meetings. Research has shown, however, that humor and good feelings are contagious and can actually increase the chances of success in business relationships. Friendships are critical at work and affect job performance. Time taken for relationship building is crucial.

Creating More Spiritual Energy

Spiritual energy, in the sense meant here, has to do with your personal connection to your true values and deep sense of purpose. It depends on taking care of yourself and others with profound respect. It means honoring your values, paying attention to your gut instincts, and doing the right things. It is an amazing source of passion, fortitude, and commitment. Those people who connect with a purpose greater than their own personal interests demonstrate the most passion and energy. Spiritual energy also depends on developing past your limits and rest, recovery, and renewal.

The Power of Positive Rituals

Getting in shape to fully engage in life and work means deep involvement with purpose, values, and self-examination and the establishment of effective energy replenishing habits. First you must define your true values and what is most important to you, being positive and unselfish. Then you must be honest about where you are now and be willing to admit that your excuses are no longer good enough. Third, plan to take action on three positive rituals that will make a difference in your energy levels. Be precise about when you will engage in these positive rituals—what time, for how long, and on which days.

Some busy executives who have built breaks into their already overburdened schedules have been astonished at how they have expanded their capacities in all four domains of energy. These breaks can include deep breathing for a few seconds, doing a quick meditation, rereading a vision or mission statement, calling a loved one, running up and down stairs, taking a quick tour around colleagues’ cubicles for friendly chats, doing a few sit-ups or stretches, eating a healthy snack, or walking around the block. It doesn’t matter what one decides to do, but it is crucial to be specific about the time and activity. The idea is to reconnect with purpose and recuperate energy reserves.

Working with an executive coach is a good way to reevaluate your performance in the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual domains. Get real, get honest, get positive—stretch your capacities and then recuperate your energy. It is your most precious resource.

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

Paul Anovick

201-445-2822

Managing Energy is the Key to Sustaining High Performance

“To be fully engaged in our lives, we must be physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused, and spiritually aligned with a purpose beyond our immediate self-interest.” – Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz, The Power of Full Engagement (2003) 

Some executives thrive under pressure, others wilt. There is an epidemic of stress and burnout in our personal and work lives. We pride ourselves on our ability to multi-task and use computer aids to organize the demands on our time; we become more efficient and take on more responsibilities, and with them, more stress.  

Even when managing our time well we still end up exhausted and stressed, unable to concentrate, keep focus, and be productive. That’s because the problem isn’t time management, it’s energy. One major quality that executives seek for themselves and their employees is sustained high performance in the face of ever-increasing pressure and rapid change, and that takes energy.

The tools for sustaining high performance are not taught in business schools. Leadership development courses rarely broach the issue of energy management, either individually or organizationally. Depleted energy may be one of the reasons more than two-thirds of employees feel less than fully engaged at work (Gallup Organization, 2004).

Some of the secrets of sustaining energy and high performance come from studying professional athletes. Professional athletes spend most of their time training and, at most, a few hours a day actually competing. Corporate executives, however, have almost no time for training and must perform at peak levels under intense scrutiny and competition for often 12 or 14 hours a day. Most professional sports have an off season of several months. The typical executive has several weeks of vacation; even then, as many as 47 percent report taking their laptops to answer e-mail during their breaks. The career of the athlete spans 7 years on average; that of a corporate executive may last 40 or 50 years.

The skillful management of energy—both individually and organizationally—makes sustaining peak performance possible. According to authors Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz in their book,The Power of Full Engagement (2003), we need to rethink much of what we’ve believed about organizing our lives. We need to learn two new rules:

1. Energy is the fundamental currency of high performance.

2. Performance, health, and happiness are grounded in the skillful management of energy.

Will be continued...

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

201-445-2822

Paul Anovick

Some executives thrive under pressure, others wilt. There is an epidemic of stress and burnout in our personal and work lives. We pride ourselves on our ability to multi-task and use computer aids to organize the demands on our time; we become more efficient and take on more responsibilities, and with them, more stress.  

Even when managing our time well we still end up exhausted and stressed, unable to concentrate, keep focus, and be productive. That’s because the problem isn’t time management, it’s energy. One major quality that executives seek for themselves and their employees is sustained high performance in the face of ever-increasing pressure and rapid change, and that takes energy.

The tools for sustaining high performance are not taught in business schools. Leadership development courses rarely broach the issue of energy management, either individually or organizationally. Depleted energy may be one of the reasons more than two-thirds of employees feel less than fully engaged at work (Gallup Organization, 2004).

Some of the secrets of sustaining energy and high performance come from studying professional athletes. Professional athletes spend most of their time training and, at most, a few hours a day actually competing. Corporate executives, however, have almost no time for training and must perform at peak levels under intense scrutiny and competition for often 12 or 14 hours a day. Most professional sports have an off season of several months. The typical executive has several weeks of vacation; even then, as many as 47 percent report taking their laptops to answer e-mail during their breaks. The career of the athlete spans 7 years on average; that of a corporate executive may last 40 or 50 years.

The skillful management of energy—both individually and organizationally—makes sustaining peak performance possible. According to authors Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz in their book,The Power of Full Engagement (2003), we need to rethink much of what we’ve believed about organizing our lives. We need to learn two new rules:

1. Energy is the fundamental currency of high performance.

2. Performance, health, and happiness are grounded in the skillful management of energy.

Will be continued...

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

201-445-2822

Paul Anovick

Six Key Networking Strategies for Today's Marketplace

Currently looking for a job?  Looking for new customers?  The only way today is NETWORKING! If you are currently searching job boards, postings on the Internet, executive search firms, cold calling for new customers, I have a question for you--how is it working?

 

The answer, probably not well.  Today’s marketplace requires trust, access and credibility more so now then anytime I have experienced in my lifetime.  Companies have hunkered down and closed ranks; this is a time to keep your cards close to the vest, a no risk mentality.  Therefore, if I don’t know you or know someone I trust that recommends you, there is no consideration.

 

As a fisherman I would like you to think about the following, when I go fishing I always consider is it a lake, river, salt or fresh water, surf or deep sea.  Then I think of what fish are available, where are they and what is the best time to go after them.  Also I decide the type of bait I will use.  All this done I then go to where the fish are, this is critical --- fish where the fish are!

 

Strategy One:  What area of work or opportunity are you looking for?     Be specific.  Visualize, research and describe what you are looking for --- what do you want to do?  This sounds simple, but is not easy.  You must develop your ideal job or customer profile and think about your life and identify what you enjoy doing, chances are what you enjoy you also do well.  In today’s marketplace you must compete in the area of your passion and what you do well.

 

Strategy Two:  Who do you want to target?  This could be based on specific industries or regions determined by what you have decided in step one.  The more specific you can be the greater success you will have.  When deciding which fish I am going after that decision will impact not only the type of bait but also the size of the hook and rig as well.

 

Strategy Three:  After you have determined the what and the who you will then be able to go where they are.  Each industry has an association or conference and now all you have to do is go there.  Join the chamber or organizations that have your target people.

 

 

 

Strategy Four:  When is the best time to approach your target?  With fish there are certain times of the day you want to focus your efforts.  Sharks in the surf usually feed around dusk, select your rig, bait your hook and cast in the surf just before dark and you will be successful.  With people you need to discover what is the best time to contact, are they a morning person, do they prefer phone, email or in person, what works for them.

 

Strategy Five:  When you make contact with your right people at the right time in the right place, you need to be prepared to explain, convince and persuade them why you are the best person for this opportunity.  This is answering the why.

 

Strategy Six:  If you are successful with the first five strategies, you need to know how to proceed and obtain what you want.  More fish are lost at the side of the boat then in the deep water.  After all of your hard work you do not want to have this happen.

 

This is the caveat; you can do all of the above and not be successful.  There are days when the fish don’t bite.  That does not mean you are wrong or you should give up fishing.  The important thing is to get up tomorrow and start the process over again.  You will be successful.

copyright 2009 AnovickAssociates

CoachAnovick.com

201-445-2822

Paul Anovick

Managing Energy is the Key to Sustaining High Performance

This is part two of the Blog posted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Lack of Energy, Lack of Full Engagement

Full engagement ought to be a bottom line priority. Companies incur unnecessary costs in the billions because of unengaged people who are just showing up for work—estimated at $350 billion a year by the Gallup Organization. Few executives or managers understand energy management and how to build it into daily routines. Yet the ability to sustain drive and passion throughout the work day—and have some left over for family at the end of the day—is based on acquiring a few positive habits and understanding energy management concepts.

These principles were discovered by studying the differences between highly successful professional athletes and those who “also ran.” At top levels, most sports stars are highly talented. The difference between the consistent winners and the others is in their ability to manage and conserve their energy. Top tennis players, for example, use certain rituals between games to help them remain focused and manage negative emotions. Their heart rates can drop 20 percent between points. Other talented players who do not engage in positive recovery rituals do not show such recovery signs and are not consistent winners.

The 4 Principles of Energy Management

The same principles can be applied to corporate executives. Here are the basic concepts, from Loehr and Schwartz:

1.    Energy has four dimensions: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. It is necessary to draw energy from each domain and to manage it in all four.
2.    Energy is best managed when there is oscillation between stress and recovery. Stress in this case is meant in a positive sense. Stress is what makes us stretch ourselves and use our talents and skills; however, it must be balanced with recovery and rest, and most of us don’t know how to do this.
3.    Pushing beyond our usual limits builds our strengths. Building mental, emotional, and spiritual capacities is similar to physical training to improve our strength or cardiovascular abilities. We must push in order to grow.
4.    Creating specific positive energy replenishing rituals sustains and expands our energy. This is the key to recuperating and making our energy reserves fully available to us.

Too much energy spent with insufficient rest and recovery leads to trouble. Life is not a marathon, but rather a series of sprints. All of life and nature is built upon rhythms and oscillations, including the tides, the sun, the moon, and our physiological functions. Yet, so many of us are in a hurry because we think in terms of linear time; we forget to create quality moments. Most of us are in a race against the clock and make incredible demands on our energy reserves as if we had unlimited resources.

Creating More Physical Energy

Executives can perform successfully even if they smoke, drink, and weigh too much. Much of their work is sedentary, yet they may excel without having any regular exercise routine. Obviously many do live and work this way, but they cannot perform to their full potential or without a cost over time to themselves, their families, and the corporations for which they work. It can be compared to trying to get peak performance out of a computer whose hardware and software is several years outdated. High mental, emotional, and spiritual energy requires that the body be in good physical condition.

Most approaches to high performance in executives and leaders deal with cognitive or emotional competencies. Some theorists have addressed the spiritual dimension as well, how deeper values and a sense of purpose influence performance. Surprisingly, almost no one has paid any attention to the role played by physical capacities. An integrated theory of performance management addresses the body, mind, emotions, and spirit, considering the person as a whole.

The body is our fundamental source of energy, and anyone concerned about high levels of performance under intense pressures must be concerned with the physical domain. Sports science is clear about the body’s need for both stress and recovery. For any muscle to grow stronger it must be stressed and then given time to heal. Repeated demands combined with recovery result in increased strength. Conversely, failure to stress the muscle results in weakness and atrophy. These same principles are true in all four domains of energy sources: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Growth occurs when there is demand, stress, and recovery.

Even if you are at a desk most of the day, you need physical energy. It begins with attention to breathing, a healthy diet, good sleeping habits, plenty of water, daily physical exercise, and recovery breaks every 90 to 120 minutes.

Although this may sound like hackneyed common sense everyone already knows, the evidence is clear: those executives who build into their daily and weekly routines exercise, healthy eating, good sleeping, and energy recovery breaks have more energy and are able to sustain performance under intense pressures.

Creating More Mental Energy

Physical and emotional energy help mental functioning. There is a correlation between productivity and positive thinking that generates mental energy. The most successful sales people have an optimistic explanatory style.

Thinking takes time, yet most jobs don’t build in time for rest, workout breaks, and thinking. They should. In fact, one of the most productive ways to think is during exercise, breaks, walks, jogs, a simple game, or just daydreaming. Build downtime into your day and allow your employees to do the same.

Other ways of creating more mental energy include varying activities so that different parts of the brain are used. Mental preparation, visualization, meditation, introspection, and reflection are all pathways to creativity and innovation. Taking time to connect with your organization’s mission, your personal purpose in life, and your true values are all ways of accessing your drive, passion, and energy.

Creating More Emotional Energy

Emotional energy expresses itself in self-confidence, self-discipline, sociability, and empathy. It’s possible to build positive emotions just as one would build muscles and physical strength. Professional athletes know how important it is to manage negative feelings during crucial points. Frustration, anger, or fear are toxic and can bring performance down. Executives who want to be able to perform well under stress must learn to “keep their eye on the ball” and manage negativity. The studies from the Hay-McBer Group have shown that leaders communicate their moods to their work groups in ways that directly affect the corporate bottom line.

Too few people recognize or try to create feelings of pleasure and joy, especially during grueling negotiations and intense business meetings. Research has shown, however, that humor and good feelings are contagious and can actually increase the chances of success in business relationships. Friendships are critical at work and affect job performance. Time taken for relationship building is crucial.

Creating More Spiritual Energy

Spiritual energy, in the sense meant here, has to do with your personal connection to your true values and deep sense of purpose. It depends on taking care of yourself and others with profound respect. It means honoring your values, paying attention to your gut instincts, and doing the right things. It is an amazing source of passion, fortitude, and commitment. Those people who connect with a purpose greater than their own personal interests demonstrate the most passion and energy. Spiritual energy also depends on developing past your limits and rest, recovery, and renewal.

The Power of Positive Rituals

Getting in shape to fully engage in life and work means deep involvement with purpose, values, and self-examination and the establishment of effective energy replenishing habits. First you must define your true values and what is most important to you, being positive and unselfish. Then you must be honest about where you are now and be willing to admit that your excuses are no longer good enough. Third, plan to take action on three positive rituals that will make a difference in your energy levels. Be precise about when you will engage in these positive rituals—what time, for how long, and on which days.

Some busy executives who have built breaks into their already overburdened schedules have been astonished at how they have expanded their capacities in all four domains of energy. These breaks can include deep breathing for a few seconds, doing a quick meditation, rereading a vision or mission statement, calling a loved one, running up and down stairs, taking a quick tour around colleagues’ cubicles for friendly chats, doing a few sit-ups or stretches, eating a healthy snack, or walking around the block. It doesn’t matter what one decides to do, but it is crucial to be specific about the time and activity. The idea is to reconnect with purpose and recuperate energy reserves.

Working with an executive coach is a good way to reevaluate your performance in the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual domains. Get real, get honest, get positive—stretch your capacities and then recuperate your energy. It is your most precious resource.

Paul Anovick
AnovickAssociates.com
201-445-2822

Recommended reading:

Bruch, H. & Ghoshal, S. (2004). A Bias for Action: How Effective Managers Harness their Willpower, Achieve Results, and Stop Wasting Time. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Groppel, J. L. (2000). The Corporate Athlete: How to Achieve Maximal Performance in Business and Life. N.Y.: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Loehr, J. & Schwartz, T. (2003). The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal. N.Y.: The Free Press/Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Managing Energy is the Key to Sustaining High Performance

“To be fully engaged in our lives, we must be physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused, and spiritually aligned with a purpose beyond our immediate self-interest.” – Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz, The Power of Full Engagement (2003) 

Some executives thrive under pressure, others wilt. There is an epidemic of stress and burnout in our personal and work lives. We pride ourselves on our ability to multi-task and use computer aids to organize the demands on our time; we become more efficient and take on more responsibilities, and with them, more stress.  

Even when managing our time well we still end up exhausted and stressed, unable to concentrate, keep focus, and be productive. That’s because the problem isn’t time management, it’s energy. One major quality that executives seek for themselves and their employees is sustained high performance in the face of ever-increasing pressure and rapid change, and that takes energy.

The tools for sustaining high performance are not taught in business schools. Leadership development courses rarely broach the issue of energy management, either individually or organizationally. Depleted energy may be one of the reasons more than two-thirds of employees feel less than fully engaged at work (Gallup Organization, 2004).

Some of the secrets of sustaining energy and high performance come from studying professional athletes. Professional athletes spend most of their time training and, at most, a few hours a day actually competing. Corporate executives, however, have almost no time for training and must perform at peak levels under intense scrutiny and competition for often 12 or 14 hours a day. Most professional sports have an off season of several months. The typical executive has several weeks of vacation; even then, as many as 47 percent report taking their laptops to answer e-mail during their breaks. The career of the athlete spans 7 years on average; that of a corporate executive may last 40 or 50 years.

The skillful management of energy—both individually and organizationally—makes sustaining peak performance possible. According to authors Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz in their book, The Power of Full Engagement (2003), we need to rethink much of what we’ve believed about organizing our lives. We need to learn two new rules:

1. Energy is the fundamental currency of high performance.

2. Performance, health, and happiness are grounded in the skillful management of energy.

Will be continued...

Paul Anovick

AnovickAssociates.com

201-445-2822

Motivation Is What Gets You Started. Habit Is What Keeps You Going. Jim Ryun

What is your purpose?  During the past week we lost Tim Russert. On Saturday, Peggy Noonan wrote in the WSJ, “A Life’s Lesson" (opinion, 6/21/08)

No doubt you have heard Tim’s story, small town, Big Russ, hard work, preparation, taking care of those you love, self sacrifice, self discipline, religious faith and enjoy life. This may sound “old school” to many; however, it describes the  “habits” to build a worthwhile, successful life.

This question often comes up when we discuss “purpose”, many say, “be true to yourself”, or “hold firm to your ideals”.  Well, what if you can’t answer these questions?

Several years ago I spent time developing my personal “mission statement”.  Which required much reflection and looking inside myself to answer these questions. The result follows.

“To make a contribution to the world by being a living example of; Love, Understanding, Compassion, Trust and Wisdom.

Starting first with my family I will help each develop the strength and courage to lead an independent and fulfilling life. Seek first to understand, then to be understood.

I will live by the values of integrity, compassion and self-discipline. I will strive to keep commitments not only to others but to myself as well. I will not make excuses or blame others. I will keep my mind and body healthy and strong so that I am able to live my mission.

My mission is to be a force for positive change and to inspire others to greatness through being a catalyst for action and through developing a shared vision of that which is possible.”

The outpouring over Tim Russert, the people who knew him, worked with him, they were honestly grieving. It caused me to sit back and think…wow; will my family, customers and those I know react like that when I die? Why not, we make choices each day that influence our legacy. What can you do better? Are you spending your time the way you want?

Winston Churchill said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts.”

Paul Anovick, 201-445-2822
"Developing Potential, Producing Results"
anovickassociates.com

Can Affirmations Work for You?

Your mind is made up of two elements that interact in such a way as to control your behavior. The first of these is your subconscious mind.  Your subconscious mind is that part that houses memories, the nervous system, emotions, and your most basic attitudes.  It is from your subconscious mind that thoughts are sent which will eventually enable you to achieve your goals.  The conscious mind makes decisions, determines goals, and gathers knowledge for the purpose of taking some kind of action.

If the data in the subconscious mind complements conscious decisions and desires, action will occur.  If, however, the messages conflict, the “power” of the subconscious mind will cause conflict, procrastination, fear, and possibly avoidance of action. A large percentage of our actions are automatic and instinctive. They are controlled by the attitudes and beliefs imprinted on the subconscious mind. Conversely, all input to the subconscious mind must come from the conscious, which is that part of you which controls behavior.

The relationship between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind can be seen in all kinds of people. For example – have you ever heard someone telling themselves they were ill so much that they actually became ill? Or – have you ever known someone who lied to themselves so often that they began to believe the lies? These are both examples of the interaction between the subconscious and the conscious minds. In the first case, the individual’s conscious mind told that they were ill. The subconscious (which is incapable of reasoning) accepted that data and through the nervous system, sent back signals that caused the person to feel illness.  In the second case, the same process occurred.

Your success is tied to your action, your action to your attitude. Thus, the “automatic guidance system” within you either operates as a success mechanism or failure mechanism. It all depends on the goals you set for it.

Through the conscious use of affirmations we become able to program our subconscious mind so that it operates as a success mechanism and causes positive behavior and change towards the achievement of our goals.

The use of affirmations is designed fundamentally to get the subconscious working with us not against us – to get our goal-striving mechanism to work for the achievement of our goals.

What is an affirmation? The best definition of an affirmation is: “telling yourself in times of doubt that which you know to be true at other times.”

More specifically, an affirmation is a positive statement in the first person singular which describes the you you want to become through our goals program.

The power of affirmations can best be recognized when we realize that the mind doesn’t know the difference between real and imagined.  For example, suppose you “imagine” late at night that there is a prowler in the house.  Are you any less frightened than if you “knew” there was a prowler in the house?  Certainly not.  You are afraid because you imagine a fearful situation. The use of affirmations to build confidence applies to the same principle, but with a positive goal in mind.

Affirmations should have the following qualities:

1.    Affirmations should be positive.

2.    Affirmations should be in the first person singular.

3. Affirmations should be within the realm of your capacity to believe  (realistically high)

4. Affirmations should be directly related to your goals.

Let me know your experience, have you tried affirmations…what happened?
If you now try affirmations, let me know your experience.

Planning for Your Success

If you don’t know where you are going any road will get you there.  Without a plan how can you prioritize your day, how do you know what a good customer looks like, how do you ask for referrals?

 

Recently I was coaching a client with his plan and I asked his assessment of how he was doing so far this year. There was silence on the other end of the phone while I waited. We then discussed his “critical goals” and looked at the plan he had built 6 months ago.

 

When a plane takes off from Newark airport the pilot has a flight plan. The plane may have to make adjustments as it flies west, it will eventually arrive at its destination, even though it was off course most of the time. The goal was to get to LA.

 

You must be absolutely clear about your destination.  Do you have clear, written, specific, measurable goals, committed to paper and organized into specific action plans? Can you answer the question…what do you want?

 

You must be prepared to launch in the face of your fears, doubts and natural reluctance to leave your comfort zone.  Les Brown says, “To achieve something that you have never achieved before, you must be prepared to do something that you have never done before.”

 

You must resolve in advance to persist in the face of any difficulty or problem that you experience.  Recently I watched, with my family, the Will Smith movie “In Pursuit of Happiness”. The main character was certainly determined. Perhaps the most important quality for success is persistence.  You must resolve in advance that you will view every temporary setback or difficultly as merely a signal that you need to make an adjustment to reach your goal.

 

We are almost half way through 2008, now is a good time to take out your plan and see how you are doing with your journey.

 

“Motivation is what gets you started, habit is what keeps you going.”

 Jim Ryun.

The Costs of Ego

“Ego is the invisible line item on every company’s profit and loss statement.”
—David Marcum and Steven Smith in egonomics: What Makes Ego Our Greatest Asset (or Most Expensive Liability), Fireside, 2007

Fifty-three percent of businesspeople estimate ego costs their company 6 to 15 percent of annual revenue; 21 percent say this cost ranges from 16 to 20 percent.

That’s somewhat astonishing, considering “ego” is difficult to measure by any standards. But even if ego accounts for only 6 percent of revenue, the annual “cost of ego” would translate to nearly $1.1 billion to the average Fortune 500 company—roughly equal to the average annual profit of these same companies.

Big egos invade every team conversation, boardroom debate, marketing plan, client interaction, contract negotiation, employment interview and performance review. There’s no question it gets in the way and is a major cause of bad decision-making.

Most of us strongly believe our ego is healthy, contributing to self-confidence, optimism and success. Most of us don’t have overinflated egos, but we’re capable of letting them  run amok—and our personal success and organization’s performance pay the price.

Using five years of research, David Marcum and Steven Smith write about the costs of ego in egonomics (Fireside, 2007):

•    The person who develops an idea trumps the quality of that idea
•    Hearing, but not listening
•    People thinking “me first, company second”
•    Only the “right” people have good ideas
•    Pressure to fit in
•    Failure to challenge status quo
•    Candid discussion saved for outside the meeting
•    Failures being buried and never mentioned again
•    Silos created and tolerated
•    Meetings going longer than necessary
•    Fear of making mistakes or admitting them

Companies can be populated with talented, high-IQ people with no shortage of vision, education, experience or good intentions, yet they may still have an undercurrent of out-of-control egos responsible for huge losses in productivity and profits.

Liability or Asset?

There’s a significant difference between “big ego” and ambition. Professionals usually start out with big ideas, a healthy ego, ambition, talent and ideas, which drive success. With good timing and help from others, great things invariably happen.

But there’s an inherent trap. When people begin to believe their “own press,” successes create the illusion that they alone were responsible for workplace accomplishments. “Big ego” may then take over, leading to the belief that future accomplishments will be just as successful.

Ego Is a Good Thing

Titrated properly, ego is inherently positive, providing a necessary level of confidence and ambition. Left unchecked, however, ego goes on a hunt, seeking more of what bolsters it. But overconfidence and unbridled ambition can also attack our talents and abilities, with big ego leading to bad decisions.

Consider these organizational “strengths,” which can backfire:

Strength
Return
Costs

Charismatic

Paints a vision, inspires others, attracts talent, keeps people motivated

Manipulates bad ideas to sound good; people overlook substance for style

Dedicated

Produces, doesn’t let obstacles overcome the end goal, finds a way to get things done—no matter what

Won’t consider alternatives, resists changes (even when they provide better outcomes), cuts off creativity in the name of “getting things done”

Optimistic

Isn’t frozen by reality, even when it’s negative; can help people get through difficult times; reminds people of better times ahead

Won’t listen to bad news, believes a positive outlook can overcome anything, rejects bad news as the pessimism of the naysayers

(For a complete table of strengths and their returns and costs, visit www.egonomicsbook.com)

These subtle differences become leaders’ ultimate blind spots.

Four Signs of Big Ego

Your coworkers and team members are usually aware—much earlier than you’ll ever figure out—that your ego has become overinflated. Here are four telltale signs:

1.    You find yourself being defensive. Defending ideas ultimately turns into becoming defensive.
2.    You continually compare yourself to others. In truth, being too competitive actually makes you less competitive.
3.    You seek acceptance to justify your ego needs. You crave respect and recognition from others, which eventually interferes with your success.
4.    You make a point of showcasing your brilliance.

Your ego may be in control if you experience the following:

•    Viewing a colleague as a rival and planning how to “beat” him/her
•    Taking it personally when someone disagrees with your ideas
•    Disagreeing with someone simply because you didn’t come up with the idea first
•    Prematurely criticizing the competition’s strategies without considering their value
•    Compulsively following a competitor’s lead, just to “keep up with the Joneses”
•    Comparing others’ external environments to your own (signs of status or wealth, without regard for inner values)

3 Keys to Maintaining a Healthy Ego

There are three keys to developing a balanced ego:

1.    Humility
2.    Curiosity
3.    Veracity

Without losing confidence in who we are or lessening the importance of what we’ve achieved, humility creates a desire to reach the next level of performance. It doesn’t lose sight of “me,” but it also prevents our personal needs and agendas from interfering with open dialogue and intense debate. Humility channels our ambitions into the success of “we,” rather than a selfish and short-lived agenda of “me.”

Once humility creates an open mind, curiosity drives the exploration of ideas. It gives us permission and courage to test what we think, feel and believe to be true, reminding us we don’t know everything.

Veracity is the habitual pursuit of the truth. It’s not that people don’t want the truth, but we often don’t want all of it—particularly the part that’s hard to hear or doesn’t support our agenda.

If openness and progress are the outcomes of humility, and innovation is the aim of curiosity, then veracity is the light that exposes the truths hidden in the shadows of our habits and comfort zones.