March 6, 2023

“A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes. It is a catalyst, and it sparks extraordinary results.” – Wade Boggs

The best leaders have contagious positive energy.

Researchers and leaders have looked for the secret to successful leadership for centuries. When we dug into this, we found that one thing supersedes everything: positive relational energy: The energy exchanged between people that helps uplift, enthuse, and renew them.

Positive leaders (energizers) are life-enhancing and uplifting. Their most important secret is that they lift themselves and their organizations by uplifting others through authentic, values-based leadership. Positive energizers demonstrate and cultivate virtuous actions. As a result, everyone flourishes.

Positively energizing leaders are more crucial than ever. Positive energy is not the superficial demonstration of false positivity, like trying to think happy thoughts or turning a blind eye to the very real stresses and pressures overloaded people are experiencing. Instead, it’s an active demonstration of living inspired.

Numerous studies show that positive energizers produce substantially higher levels of engagement, lower turnover, and enhanced feelings of well-being among employees.

Physical energy diminishes with use. The only kind of energy that doesn’t reduce but elevates with use as positive relational energy. We rarely get exhausted by being around uplifting people.

Our research found that when leaders display positive relational energy, it catapults performance to a new level. This is because positive relational energy becomes reciprocal.

Many studies on positive leadership demonstrate that leaders focused on contributing to others are substantially more effective than leaders focused on personal achievements and success. As a result, their organizations and their employees excel.

Can organizations flourish with leaders who deplete rather than create energy? Of course – in the short term, the evidence is clear that positive energy is far more effective in the long time.

As a leader, you get to hold yourself - and your attitude - to higher standards. So what are you doing daily to be a leader worth being around?

Adapted by the source: Harvard Business Review