Is your leadership style anabolic or catabolic?
Use the INL Levels of Energy process to uncover your current leadership style and become even more impactful!
We all view the world through filters based on our experiences, values, and assumptions. They can limit what we see or expand our view. These unconscious filters significantly impact how you perceive things, ultimately affecting how you react in different situations and impacting your ability to lead.
The more aware you are about how these filters affect your leadership, the more impact, engagement, and satisfaction you’ll experience.
Our Seven Levels of Energy training highlights two types of energy we all have and gives you the tools to move away from catabolic to anabolic behaviors.
Catabolic Energy is characterized by destructive, contracting, and stressful energy
It’s the kind of energy that’s present when you feel that you “have to” finish this project on time or when you “should” have that difficult conversation with your colleague.
Catabolic energy is the grit-your-teeth, get-it-out-the-way, push-through-it kind of energy that helps you get the job done.
It can also be characterized by an apathetic, “low-energy” vibe that has you avoiding unpleasant work or people.
Anabolic Energy is creative, expanding, and fueling energy
At work, it shows up as enjoyment of the process - even when it’s challenging. It is present in teams where collaboration, commitment, belief in one another, and synergy are the norm.
At home, it shows up when you are spending treasured time with someone you love, fully present and fully engaged. It’s the kind of energy you experience when you are in a flow state: everything feels effortless and you’re operating at your highest potential. When anabolic energy is present, there is a sense of motivation, clarity, and forward movement.
Once you bring awareness to your current experience, the next crucial element of your transformation becomes available to you: choice where individual coaching can support you.
What can Catabolic and Anabolic energy levels look like?
Imagine this:
When your boss comes around, people feel tense. They tend to wait until he leaves and then start complaining about his quick NO to requests, his inability to listen and understand, and the frustration they feel about his heavy-handed communication - “get it right, or else.”
This is an example of a manager leading with Level 2 Catabolic energy where the culture tip-toes around out of fear. You want this to change but you’re not sure how.
Imagine this:
You have a vision for your team. You’re enjoying creating together new possibilities for your customers. Every team member has the best interest of others in mind and is able to find innovation after innovation.
You’re leading with Level 6 Anabolic energy, creating unique solutions, and feel fueled doing it! Your team easily shares ideas knowing there’s no fear of making mistakes.
In both examples, leaders can benefit from understanding Levels of Energy - being able to shift catabolic energy to anabolic.