Stop Workplace Drama: Train Your Team to have No Complaints, No Excuses, and No Regrets

Chapter 6. Master Your Energy

	I am extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end.
	--Margaret Thatcher

All drama has three common elements: A lack of clarity, a relationship component, and an energetic component. We have already talked about clarity and relationship; this chapter is about the energetic component.

Speaker and The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy author Jon Gordon states, "No one goes through life untested, and the answer to these tests is positive energy—not the rah-rah, cheering kind of positive energy, although there certainly is a time and place for that as well. But rather...the optimism, trust, enthusiasm, love, purpose, joy, passion, and spirit to live, work, and perform at a higher level; to build and lead successful teams; to overcome adversity in life and at work; to share contagious energy with employees, colleagues, and customers; to bring out the best in others and in yourself; and to overcome all the negative people (whom I call energy vampires) and negative situations that threaten to sabotage your health, family, team, and success." (Gordon 2007, front flap)

The premise of "Master Your Energy" is this: Everything in the universe is made up of energy, and all energy systems work together. Therefore, the leader who understands how to master energy can help bring out the best in others. In turn, this will help to eliminate much of the complaining and excuses—not to mention turnover, burnout, and ...