Energy, Power and the Leader-sphere

Have you ever thought about the difference between energy and power? We use them interchangeably when discussing fuel, but not so much when discussing people. Energy is the availability of power, and power is the ability to get things done. Today’s young professionals expect to be both energized and empowered, and organizations are quickly morphing to meet the challenge and the opportunity.

Consider it in terms of how our thinking about fuel has evolved over time…

From early on in human history, access to fuel has been linear. We’ve had to find and go to the source: water, wind, fire. Eventually, we realized we could harness fuel for specific uses, so we built mills on rivers and ships on oceans and we cooked at fire pits. It was a step forward, but it was still a linear path.

Then came electricity. You don’t “go” to electricity…you make it come to you through conductors, insulators and wiring. It was still linear…available through stationary receptacles…but we extended its reach through extension cords, batteries and generators. Access started proliferating through portable devices…yet it still had its limitations. An extension cord eventually runs out of length. Batteries…even rechargeable ones…run out of juice. Generators…no matter how big…run out of life. This is our fuel reality today.

The next big leap in access to fuel will happen through the development of wireless energy…when we no longer need a physical connection to have energy.  Imagine being able to power devices through the air, much like we receive wireless signals and radio waves today. No linear connections. No outlets. No cords. No batteries that run out of energy…just continuous uninterrupted power without being tethered to a location. Imagine the explosion in innovation and productivity that is going to occur. Talk about endless, renewable sources of fuel!

Leadership is already undergoing a similar transformation. Power used to be leader-centric, resting in individuals…then in small elite groups. But in an age of open information available to everyone, this model of centralized control is outdated. Energy is no longer linear. Effective leaders today are not insulated or isolated, but connected across the entire knowledge landscape…a leader-sphere where connections are available everywhere, networking is open-ended, and collaboration is king:

Leader-centric	Leader-sphere
Energy from one central source	Energy from connections
Power based on personal attributes	Power based on collaboration
Linear, one-way communication	Multi-directional communication
Consolidated authority	Empowering others
Controlled access to information	Open access to information
Maintaining status quo	Seeking new value
Molding information to serve existing vision	Continually evolving vision based on new information
Organization depends on leaders capacity to lead in order to be successful	Organization builds new capacity and potential independent of who is leading

Effective leaders today do not look to traditional sources of power…they look out beyond them…they connect beyond the receptacle, beyond the extension cord and battery…out into the energized leader-sphere…where we can be empowered in entirely new ways through colleagues at all levels and there are endless possibilities.  

Don't make the assumption that this is just a generational change, because that change will wash over us and sweep us away. We each have the opportunity to rise with the tide, swim with the current, and ride the waves to new growth and possibilities.

We each have a choice to make…transform ourselves as leaders or accept the same inevitable destiny as batteries and extension cords…irrelevance.

Now is the time to change…hold on to the leadership habits that got us to where we are and it will be too late. Change the leader you are…if not for yourself…for the future of your organization.