Lead with Joy

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I was at the gym recently when an elderly man who I didn’t know approached me and struck up a conversation. Chatting with strangers is far and away one of my favorite pastimes so I gladly obliged him. I can’t remember most of our conversation but, somewhat inexplicably, he left me with a joke:

I’m not saying he’s likely to be featured on a cold open of Saturday Night Live anytime soon, but it was impossible not to laugh watching the old man’s pure joy as he cackled away.

On this day after Thanksgiving in the US you might be wondering what an old man’s sense of humor has to do with leadership. So glad you asked.

More powerful than anything from the conversation I was struck by the energy which this elderly man was still pursuing a full life. I had seen him in the gym before walking, unstooping, from one set of exercises to another with vigor.

What is it that drives someone to continue to pursue their physical health coming to the gym before 6am well into their later years? What was the source of energy I observed in this old man which I could harness in my own life?

Energy as a leadership superpower

I’m fond of talking about leadership superpowers and am increasingly convinced that energy is one of the greatest any leader can cultivate. So often when you lead talented people and they are stuck amidst a challenging moment they just need someone to say, “I see you, you are capable, keep going.” But even if you intuitively understand this as a leader, if your team finds themselves in a challenging situation you’ve likely been impacted by that same situation. How then can you as a leader rise above challenge to instill in your team the confidence to endure?

Energy.

Energy is the boundless fuel which propels progress. For leaders interested in cultivating energy within themselves and spread it across their team it’s worth studying the sources of energy. I’m convinced there are only five:

1. Joy

2. Obsession

3. A commitment to another

4. A chip on your shoulder

5. Curiosity

While all five sources of energy are worth study, here the day after Thanksgiving I’m most interested in examining the one I observed in the old man from our introduction, joy.

Lead with Joy

Finding joy within your day to day work, particularly within the mundane, is one of the best ways to maintain a high level of energy by which you can effectively lead your team, particularly when things aren’t going well.

Cultivating joy is easier said than done and for many people, myself very much included, it does not come naturally. I spend a lot of time thinking about the best way to find joy in my work and within the context of leadership in order to keep energy high. Thus far, the best technique I have for cultivating joy is to pursue gratitude.

Working to be grateful has helped me find joy, and perspective, in even the most mundane aspects of my life and work. When I focus on gratitude it cultivates joy, when I cultivate joy I find I’m energized.

Gratitude then on this day after Thanksgiving is the name of the game for any leader.

Grateful for friends, family and mentors who help you become more than you can imagine.

Grateful for challenges which give you the opportunity to live your values instead of just talk about them.

Grateful for long lines in coffee shops as a reminder to slow down and breathe.

Grateful for conversations with strangers who always have lessons to teach you.

Grateful for pressure, because it is a privilege.

Grateful for pie because it is delicious.

Grateful for partners and spouses who know you better than you know yourself.

Grateful for sunny skies on cold winter days.

Conclusion

So there it is, you can be a more effective leader by becoming a more energetic one. One of the cleanest burning fuels for energy is joy. One of the best ways to cultivate joy in your life and work is to find an opportunity to practice gratitude.

Happy Thanksgiving.