The Road to Energy Mastery Starts with Your Energy Leadership Index
What levels of energy do you habitually plug into? Do you find yourself unknowingly apathetic or angry, lethargic or defiant? These levels sadly are the dominant energies in our culture, especially in the workplace.
What levels will support you to lead yourself and others to live life fully?
In the system he developed called Energy Leadership, Dr. Bruce Schneider calls these levels ‘anabolic’, energy that is positive, productive, expansive, and fuels us to move forward. He contrasts these with ‘catabolic’ energy levels, energy that is draining, contracting, and stressful. Anabolic energy levels allow us to see more possibilities for innovation and problem solving. Catabolic levels, limit our vision.
At each level of energy (Schneider identifies seven) there is a defining core thought, a core feeling and, corresponding action or result. Victim is the core thought of the lowest level of energy, with apathy as its core feeling and lethargy as its result. My awareness of this correlation (victim to apathy and lethargy), helped me identify the source of what at the time I considered as ‘being lazy’. I was able to identify a couple key behaviors and the beliefs under them that had me visiting the victim level of energy. With that awareness (and some work!), I was able to shift to a higher level of energy.
At the top of the energy levels is non-judgment with the corresponding feeling of absolute passion and the action or result, creation. It’s the level of the master of life who has the ability to tap into the other levels as needed. I aspire to master my energy at this level. Between these two polarities are remaining five levels: conflict (the second of two catabolic levels), and four anabolic levels: responsibility, concern, reconciliation, and synthesis.
The Energetic Self-Perception Chart (7 Levels of Energy)
Schneider created the Energy Leadership Index to measure your ability to lead (self and others) and to take positive, productive, sustainable action. It’s a great tool to discover how you show up energetically in your life and provides insights to shifts you can make to ‘up your energetic vibes’.