What relational energy can you add to the system? 

My friend sits on the board of a nonprofit in the community solar industry.

Recently he hosted an informal industry event at his home so people could learn more about the organization and emerging challenges and opportunities within the clean energy space.

After he welcomed everyone to the event, he took a few minutes to allow people to introduce themselves by stating their name and what role they play in the industry.

The guest list was impressive. Some heavy hitters from the solar world. Owners, founders, financiers, environmental layers, public utility personnel, and so on.

When it was my turn to speak, the only thing I could think to say was this:

Hey everyone, my name is Scott, and I don’t actually work in the solar industry, but I do bring a lot of positive energy to my office.

It got a good laugh, although I was feeling a bit out of my element. Science was never my thing.

Besides, in any given group or team setting, positive energy can’t really be quantified. There is not output in watts. There is no baseline emissions profile. There is no way to estimate any immediate changes in environmental quality. And there is no formula to calculate any of the related economic changes.

Or is there? Maybe science has finally caught up with spirit.

Cameron, a professor of management, conducted extensive research on how positive energy impacts organizations. He found there are significant relationships between positive energy forces like forgiveness, compassion, integrity, trust, and optimism and organizational climate and financial performance.

It all depends on whether people are uplifting, elevating and life giving; or exhausting and demotivating.

Think of it as the difference between an electrician and a plumber. One lights you up, the other drains you. The more electricians you have, the better the organizational ultimates does.

Cameron’s research even found that not only are the positive people higher performers, but they’re four times more likely to succeed than those with greater influence and knowledge. Plus, their sunlight is contagious. Positive energizers tend to enhance the work of others. People who interact with or are connected to energizers also perform better.

In short, energy trumps influence and information. If that wasn’t enough to convince you, here’s another compelling point.

The difference between positive energy and other forms of energy.

Physical, mental and emotional energy, for example, diminish when expended. Running ten miles makes you tired. Having a heated argument with your boss makes you drained. But relational energy, on the other hand, enhances and improves when used.

You don’t get exhausted when you’re around people with who are uplifting, elevating and life giving. That energy resource is clean and renewable.

The challenge is, positive energy what’s known as a latent resource. Meaning, it’s not managed in an organization. People aren’t hired, promoted, rewarded and recognized for being positive.

And so, it’s up to us, positive people of the world, to bring the light. To engage in positive practices like reframing negative events into positive outcomes, focusing on having an affirmative bias, solving problems for people before they know they exist, and helping others flourish through uplifting compliments.

This renewable, sustainable, efficient energy resource may not make the lights go on, but it will certainly make the organization a better place to work, which might prevent them from having to shut their doors. 

Are you an electrician or a plumber?