Helping businesses attract and retain diverse talent
Helping businesses attract and retain diverse talent
When we talk about leadership, we often focus on strategy, outcomes, and performance metrics. But there is a quieter, more subtle force at play in every team one that can determine whether progress feels empowering or exhausting.
That force is energy.
Not energy in the clinical sense, but in the lived, emotional sense: the energy that builds momentum, that carries a vision, that binds people together through shared purpose. And when that energy falters, even the most talented teams can struggle.
The truth is, not all slowdowns are performance issues. Sometimes your team isn’t underperforming – they’re overloaded, disconnected, or simply running on empty. And as leaders, it’s not just our job to drive delivery- it’s our responsibility to tune in.
This article is your invitation to pause and take stock. To ask honestly: Am I leading a team…or dragging one?
Think of an energy audit as a temperature check – not on output, but on alignment. It’s about moving beyond surface-level KPIs and into the emotional heartbeat of your team.
Why does this matter?
Because leadership is about what gets done and how it gets done, and how people feel while doing it. You might have high productivity and still be headed for burnout. You might have all the right skills in the room and still struggle with cohesion. The issue isn’t always the plan. Often, it’s the pulse.
When a team is energised, work flows. Communication is smoother. Creativity sparks. But when that energy drains and motivation dips, roles begin to blur, or trust slowly erodes – progress becomes heavy. The team slows, the leader pushes harder, and the dynamic becomes unsustainable.
That’s when it’s time for an energy audit.
Every team experiences peaks and troughs. But if you’re constantly feeling like you’re pulling people uphill, or like your team is disengaged, detached, or just going through the motions, there may be deeper dynamics at play.
Here are a few indicators:
● You’re always the motivator
If you’re the only one injecting energy, direction, or urgency, it may be a sign the team isn’t emotionally invested.
● Decisions are met with silence
A lack of questions, challenges, or contributions often signals disconnection – not agreement.
● Fatigue is showing up in new ways
Increased mistakes, short tempers, or a drop in collaboration can indicate emotional and mental exhaustion.
● You’re solving the same problems repeatedly
This suggests a lack of shared ownership or unresolved team tensions that drain momentum.
● You’re starting to resent the load
A common but unspoken red flag. If you feel like you’re carrying the weight alone, it’s time to reflect on why, and how that’s affecting your leadership.
Energy in a team is influenced by many factors, both structural and emotional. It’s shaped by how people feel about their roles, how safe they feel to speak up, how much trust they have in each other, and whether they believe their contribution matters.
When we ignore these aspects, we reduce people to tasks. We treat slow progress as laziness, rather than as a sign of misalignment. We push harder, instead of digging deeper.
So what might be draining your team’s energy?
● Lack of clarity: When roles, goals, or expectations are vague, energy scatters.
● Unspoken conflict: Tension ignored becomes tension amplified.
● Underused strengths: People disengage when they aren’t being stretched or valued.
● Overwhelm: Constant fire-fighting leaves no space for strategy, learning, or breath.
● Lack of recognition: A team that doesn’t feel seen will eventually stop showing up
Leaders don’t need to have all the answers, but we do need to ask better questions.
If your team feels sluggish or stuck, start by shifting your approach from management to curiosity. Instead of asking, “Why aren’t they delivering?”, try:
● “What might be getting in their way?”
● “What kind of support would make a difference right now?”
● “Are the right people in the right roles?”
● “Have I created the space for honest feedback and input?”
These questions create space for reflection, not blame. They invite conversation, not correction. And most importantly, they model the kind of awareness that energised teams thrive on.
It can be tempting, especially for passionate leaders, to try to “fix” low energy by taking on more. But this often reinforces the drag dynamic, where one person leads through over-functioning and others step back.
Instead, aim for realignment. This might mean:
● Revisiting goals together to ensure everyone understands and owns them.
● Shifting roles or responsibilities based on individual strengths and current capacity.
● Creating moments of collective pause – time to reflect, regroup, and reconnect.
● Reaffirming purpose: Why does this work matter? Who does it serve?
Teams regain energy when they feel agency, not pressure. When they feel part of something, not beholden to it.
It’s important to acknowledge that leading a team through low-energy periods takes emotional resilience. It can feel lonely. It can challenge your own sense of competence and confidence.
But remember leadership is about holding space for the team to re-find its rhythm. That includes holding space for yourself.
If you’re feeling drained, it’s okay to name it. If you’re unclear, it’s okay to ask for support. And if the current structure isn’t working, it’s okay to change it. You’re not failing, you’re adjusting and transforming.
There’s a difference between leading with energy and leading by effort alone. The first builds something sustainable. The second burns everyone out.
So if your team feels stuck, slow, or disconnected, don’t rush to reprimand or restructure. Begin with reflection. Begin with listening. Begin with the kind of leadership that asks not just what’s wrong, but what’s needed. Because sometimes the most powerful shift doesn’t come from changing the people, but from changing the conditions.