Blog 8: Strengths in Action – When Work Gives You Energy (And When It Drains You)
Strengths in Action: Aligning Leadership Energy with Impact
Discover how Working Genius and EQ help leaders align strengths with energy. Learn how energy-awareness transforms leadership impact.
When Work Gives You Energy (And When It Drains You)
I once worked as a project scheduler. Gantt charts, dependencies, critical paths—I was good at it. So good I trained others on how to do it “the right way.”
But here’s the truth: I hated it.
The details drained me. The structure boxed me in. People mistook my passion for teaching the tool as passion for the work itself. That experience taught me something I didn’t have words for back then: there’s a difference between what you’re good at and what gives you life.
It wasn’t until I discovered Working Genius that it clicked. I had skill in the details—but my energy comes from coaching, translating, and building people up. Emotional intelligence gave me the awareness to live it out.
Where I Find Energy Today
Even now, I’ll stare at a blank page for an hour before writing a single word. Starting from scratch? Not my jam. But give me a rough idea to refine, and I’m all in.
I get energy from making meaning, seeing patterns, and helping people move. Once a vision is cast and a team is energized, I’m already three ideas down the road.
What fuels me most is helping others see clearly and move confidently. I come alive when I’m:
Translating complexity into clarity
Coaching someone through a stuck point
Unifying people around purpose
Moving a team from “confused and circling” to “aligned and moving”
The best leaders aren’t just self-aware. They’re energy-aware.
This Awareness Changed How I Lead
Working Genius gives me language for where I thrive—and where I don’t.
Emotional Intelligence helps me recognize when I’m leading from overflow versus burnout.
Together, they remind me: just because I can do something doesn’t mean I should.
What This Means for Leadership
A leader with Invention may spark brilliant ideas—but without teammates with Discernment, chaos replaces clarity.
A leader with Galvanizing (like me) may energize the room—but without someone gifted in Enablement, the spark fizzles before it becomes impact.
The best leaders don’t try to do it all. They understand handoffs. They know when it’s time to spark energy, when it’s time to evaluate, and when it’s time to release control. Leadership isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing the right work and building a team that can do the rest.
The Question for You
What kind of work makes time fly? And what kind makes you watch the clock?
Those answers may reveal more about your leadership potential than any performance review ever could.
