The Work Revolution: Freedom and Excellence for All

The Energy of Individuals

For some time now, we have been ingeniously tapping into the power of the Internet and computers to take productivity to a whole new level. But, ironically, in this age of knowledge workers, we have reached a plateau in terms of capitalizing on the energy of individuals. The default mode of leadership is still the one-size-fits-all treatment of employees, constrained within inflexible work hours. Of course, when work hours are based on business needs that are truly urgent, such as global 24/7 call center coverage, it’s entirely reasonable to assign schedules and expect individuals to adhere to them. However, there are many organizations and teams for which this is not the case, and the potential for change in these environments is enormous.

Following Your Energy River

Rivers are great analogies for thinking about maximizing impact through personal energy.

Who are you “in the wild”? No, I’m not asking what you do when you cut loose. I’m asking how you structure your days and activities when you have zero professional or personal pressures on your time. A great reference point for answering this is college. Which classes did you pick: the early-morning ones, the late-afternoon ones, or the evening classes? Did you cluster your classes back-to-back or spread them out evenly within a day or week? When did you study: morning, afternoon, or night? And where: with friends or alone; at a coffee shop, the library, or your dorm/apartment?

How about your workdays ...