Money’s most important ingredient
In almost all of the projects that we help our clients with — there is a little understood and mentioned vital ingredient needed in any venture that is undertaken with the intent to make money.
That most crucial ingredient…is energy.
Energy in the form of focus, attention, drive, passion, excitement, a vision for the future, hope and work.
Without pouring this energy into an idea or project (by the founder or the team tasked to work on it) it often just withers away and dies as a result.
In reality though, very little effort is usually assigned to helping employees maintain their energy levels. Keeping teams motivated, inspired, focused on the goal and ready to unleash their high energy levels is of little concern in most organisations.
So too when hiring a new employee or recruiting team members for an important assignment, understanding how much energy that person will bring to the party is vitally important. Enthusiasm counts, not because it stirs the motivation of others, but because it’s a key driver of momentum, which will ultimately spur the production of financial return.
It was Thomas Edison who apparently said; “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety nine percent perspiration”.
Don’t ignore the value of the sweating just because the story of the initial clever idea attracts more of a crowd.
So what can you do to keep your team’s energy levels up?
- Keep talking — communication is vital, keep sharing information and reflecting on your progress
- Keep the end in mind — make sure that the end goal is crystal clear and that it inspires everyone to move forward, then keep it top of mind…always.
- Celebrate small wins and maintain momentum — keep motivation levels high by celebrating the small steps taken towards the goal and make sure that everyone can feel that movement forward is happening.
- Learn as you go — adjust course as you learn more along the way.
Energy is an intangible, yet vital ingredient in business. You may not be able to list it on your balance sheet, but its absence will certainly ensure failure. Value it as such then.
