Energy: energy in leading
In 2022, a diverse group of 24 women from across the globe – from different geographies, generations, sectors, specialisms, backgrounds, beliefs, abilities and aspirations - embarked on an Expedition with Women Emerging to discover ‘an approach to leading that would resonate with women.’ What they discovered instead was that the act of leading is individual and personal. Hence, they created a ‘map’ that would guide women on future expeditions. The map lays out four E’s, the first three form into three concentric circles: Essence, Elements, Expression. The flow between these three Es generates the fourth E: Energy. Women Emerging believes that this dynamic of Energy, rooted in Essence, is central to how each woman leads.
Over the last few months, the blogs on our website have been written about each E to help you understand it in great detail. We are now at the fourth E, Energy, today. Let’s take a look at what it means.
Energy: The lifeblood of leading
Through more and more conversations with women leading, Julia came to believe that Energy is the lifeblood of leading. It might not be what being a ‘leader’ – the title – is, and also not what ‘leadership’ – the state – is, but it’s really what the verb ‘leading’ is all about.
Energy comes from Essence - An Essence which guides and grounds that Energy. The same Energy shows up in our Elements. It causes us to jettison some of them because they get in the way. It pushes us to reframe others because, reframed, they can turbo-charge Energy. It demands that we land our purpose and keep it under constant review because Energy thrives on purpose. It requires us to combine what may appear to be incompatible Elements because the sparks will fly when they do combine. Finally, it finds its way to Expression as we discover ways to bring Energy into the meetings, problems, opportunities and relationships involved in daily leading.
On the map, Energy is represented by an infinity symbol that lies across the three circles. This shows the dynamic flow between them, going in both directions. Essence flows out to the second and third E, to frame how we do our leading. Expression meets the outside world, and it will discover new things, bringing the flow of energy back. In this way the inner world flows to the outer to hold it accountable, and the outer flows back to the inner to ensure it evolves.
In her book, Julia Middleton, talks to Anna Luz, a Conservation Biologist from the First Expedition, who makes an important distinction between the word Energy and Power. While the two are often used interchangeably, they should not be. Power, according to Anna Luz, first expedition explorer, “seems to be something to accumulate, to hoard.” and so what is energy?
Spiralling Off
The infinity symbol representing Energy can veer off course, spiraling out in unexpected directions. It can happen so subtly that you may not even notice until you’re far off track, making it a difficult task to regain balance.
Julia Middleton, has explored three common routes, in her book, each connected to the power your own Energy brings. These routes are denying energy, to think you deserve energy and to simply maintain energy.
When Energy flows well, it spirals upwards beautifully. This is often described as ‘high Energy.’ There are a few ways that cause this spiralling upwards. Let’s take a look at them below:
Calibrating: Liz Bloomfield, Executive Director Ripple Effect Images and First Expedition explorer, wonderfully described calibrating to be “identifying in the moment what the situation needs.”
Judgement: It is the ability to discern and address the deeper, often internal, barriers to progress - such as mindsets, emotions, and limiting beliefs - rather than focusing solely on external factors like systems or policies.
Shedding: For Melissa Kwee, Co-Creator City of Good, this involves distributing energy within a group aligned to a shared purpose, ensuring it flows collectively rather than resting on a single individual. It fosters collaboration and strengthens the collective.
Positioning: Where and how do you make change? That’s what positioning is all about. Whether from within an institution, where actions like challenging norms can prompt transformation, or from outside, where independence allows for broader perspective and alignment with personal values is up to you! Effective positioning balances timing, impact, and the method of engagement to generate energy for meaningful change.
And finally, the last cause of the upward spiral: YOU! When leading - whether from the front, back, middle, or sides - managing your energy is crucial. As the leader, maintaining your energy levels is both a personal responsibility and a non-negotiable.
Whenever you are leading, your own Energy level is key and your own personal responsibility.
Releasing Energy
On the Women Emerging podcast, we had an Engineer, Valeria Luq come on as guest. She spoke about Energy, and referred to the Einsteins law E = mc^2. This law, simplified, means everything with mass is Energy which also applies to us as humans.
While leading, Valerie realised that with so much energy around and within us, a leader’s main role should be to find ways to release that energy sustainably and direct it toward a shared goal. Instead of focusing on creating energy, she believes leaders should focus on unlocking the energy that’s already there. For Valerie when people feel they are contributing to something bigger than themselves and when they understand the vision, they automatically release more Energy as they are invested in the project at hand. We couldn’t agree more.
When you are leading, have you noticed what causes your Energy to spiral upwards? Journal about what works for you so you can harness it in your leading. To learn more about the Four E’s, you can now join the Women Emerging Solo Expedition – a virtual expedition that you can do at your own time and pace. Join the waitlist, open now!