5 Ways Managers Drain People’s Energy
Managers that care about results notice and fuel energy. You fail when you neglect or ignore energy.
You never succeed when you suck the life out of people.
Successful managers energize people.
“What is a man without energy? Nothing – nothing at all.” Mark Twain
Skillful managers avoid 5 things:
#1. Approaching people as problems.
Pessimists never elevate the human spirit or inspire confidence.
Believe in people.
#2. Defaulting to worry.
Reflecting on potential issues is prudent if you’re committed to forward movement.
Worrywarts default to the status quo.
Listen for ‘but’. Energy vampires bring BUTs to every conversation.
Before you open your worry-hole and suck the life out of people, ask, “How is my input moving the agenda forward?”
Get busy bringing value when worry grips you.
#3. Controlling instead of releasing.
People who haven’t figured out their own lives find comfort in controlling others.
Managers typically control standards, evaluation, correction, training, assignments, deadlines, resources, and more. Successful managers release people within established guidelines.
Build robots if you’re a control-freak-manager.
#4. Believing cable news. (Especially in the evenings.)
Your political persuasion doesn’t matter. Cable news has one goal. It’s not the news. It’s creating a crisis that keeps you watching. Don’t let nincompoops on evening cable news control your focus.
The power to direct the public’s attention is disrespected by drama mongers on cable news.
“Nothing is as important as you think it is while you’re thinking about it.” Daniel Kahneman
Turn off cable news and invite some friends over.
#5. Walking around with a thin skin.
A thin-skinned manager sucks the life out of everyone.
Thin-skinned managers use hurt feelings to manipulate people.
Tolerance, forbearance, and patience take you further than worrying if people like you.
Management rule #1. Open your mouth to make things better. Other than that, don’t speak.
What ways do managers drain people’s energy?
How might managers fuel people’s energy?
#4, . Believing cable news. (Especially in the evenings.). I find this one so telling in that it subconsciously addresses attitude. Cable news ( and I’d say any main stream news) is toxic to one’s psyche, ones oommon sense and ones attitude. If one succumbs to this toxin ones attitude usually of frustration and anger sets one up to approach life circumstances poisoned by those toxins. I’m much better off physically, mentally and socially when I don’t indulge in this evil.
Thanks Roger. I’m with you. I notice that I’m much healthier when there’s less manufactured drama in my life.
#4, . Believing cable news. (Especially in the evenings.)… Cable news has one goal. It’s not the news. It’s creating a crisis that keeps you watching. THANK You Dan – I needed this advise. I have been feeling anxious for awhile now – affecting my health. And I have been watching and reading cable news. Time to let that go for my sanity, health and for me to serve others better.
Thanks for sharing your journey, Jackie. I’ve noticed that the world still seems to go on, even though the folks on cable news keep warning me that it could come to an end any minute. Best wishes.
Seems your other readers grabbed onto #4 as I did. Watching the news (including network news) was destroying my emotional health (especially in early 2021). Your last nugget – “invite people over” is my key. Putting my focus on my community instead of cable is saving me.
Thanks for sharing your story and for your affirmation. Much appreciated. I wish you well.
My favorite post of 2022! This is all so true. Bonus, I actually laughed out loud 3 separate times.
Thanks Shad. I was thinking of you this morning. Hope you are well. Thank you for the good word. Cheers
Management rule #1. Open your mouth to make things better. Other than that, don’t speak.
This is a great reminder in all areas of one’s life. Thanks for my goal for the week!
Thanks SSB. I respect you for setting a short-term goal. We have more success with incremental progress than with trying to make giant leaps. Thank you for the good word. Cheers.
Mom always said if you can’t say anything nice (constructive), don’t say anything at all.
I’ll join those applauding #4. We do the first 15 minutes of local news twice a day and one network news evening broadcast a day. C-SPAN without comments for speeches.
Thanks Joe. Your approach is a good reminder that developing a plan is worthwhile. Thanks for sharing your approach to an important aspect of life.
I agree with everyone on the powerful of today’s post. But I have to say Bothe of these quotes could have a meme of their own. “You never succeed when you suck the life out of people.'”and this one for sure – ” Build robots if you’re a control-freak-manager.”
I agree with everyone, but there are two quotes that could have their own memes – “You never succeed when you suck the life out of people.” and
“Build robots if you’re a control-freak-manager.”
Full disclosure here! I took #4 and interpreted it as a work metaphor, in that those whose purpose should be to inform, may twist to sensationalize – in other words, read between the lines of what some might tell you to get the true story, and feel free to disconnect from this noise at times to save your sanity! I’ll let you know if that works… Ha!