Energy + Motivation: HBR Emotional Intelligence Series
Various Contributors
Harvard Business Review Press (September 2022)
“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re probably right.” Henry Ford
This is one of the volumes in the HBR Emotional Intelligence Series, offering cutting-edge thinking about how to generate and then maintain your drive, make consistent progress. and expend your energy wisely. “The book will help you identify what’s behind your flagging engagement and productivity, and provide the expert research and advice on what to do about it.”
The twelve classic articles were originally published in HBR and if all were purchased separately as reprints, the total cost would be at least $140.00. Amazon now sells a paperbound volume for only $12.79. That’s not a bargain; that’s a steal.
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Here is some specific information about each of the articles.
o “The Power of Progress”: During an interview, Teresa Amabile on HOW to achieve small wins to boost your energy and keep you going.
o “Managing the Hidden Stress of Emotional Labor”: Instead of forcing a smile, Susan David on HOW to focus on what you want to do.
o “How to Make Yourself Work When You Just don’t Want To”: Heidi Grant on WHY it takes more than will power to achieve some tasks.
o “Four Ways to Manage Your Energy More Effectively”: Elizabeth Grace Saunders on WHY and HOW it is important to start strong and then stay strong.
o “When Your Focus Dips, Focus on Results”: Elizabeth Grace Saunders on HOW to tackle even the boring, draining, time-consuming, or anxiety-producing tasks on your list.
o “Minimize Burnout by Making Compassion a Habit”: Annie McKee and Kandi Wiens on HOW to find the energy for others — as well as for yourself.
o “The More You Energize Your Coworkers, the Better Everyone Performs”: Wayne Baker on HOW.and WHY energy is contagious. And I presume to add, so is lethargy.
o “How Women at the Top Renew Their Mental Energy”: Marete Wendell-Wedelisborg explains HOW to discover what gets you c harged up.
o “Five Ways btgo Foc us Youf Energy During a Work Crunch”: Any Jen Su explains HOW to getcreal about how you feel.
o Resilience Is About How You Recharge, Not How You Endure”: Shawn Achor and Michelle Gielan on HOW and WHY, before you go on, you need to stop and examine the current situation. Do any “unknown unknowns” remain?
o What You Don’t Know About Motivation”: Susan Fowler on HOW to keep yourself — and your people — going and on track by focusing on three simple needs.
o “Why People Lose Motivation — and What Managers Can Do to Help”: Dan Cable on HOW and WHY almost always, remaining motivated relies on self-expression, experimentation, and purpose.
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Only you can apply the relevant knowledge and common-sense wisdom that are provided in this book. However, you will need help from others and probably some luck such as being in the right place at the right time. You also need to know when an opportunity is “knocking on your door,” and be prepared to take full advantage of it. (Sometimes it whispers.) You can also benefit from having role models. There is a great deal of value to learn from their successes and, especially from their [begin italics] failures [end italics]. However, to repeat, your success (however defined) ultimately depends on you.
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Here are two other suggestions while reading Energy + Motivation: First, highlight key passages Also, perhaps in a lined notebook kept near-at- hand, record your comments, questions, action steps (preferably with deadlines), page references, and lessons you have learned as well as your responses to key points posed within the narrative. Also, record your responses to specific issues or questions addressed, especially at the conclusion of articles.
These two simple tactics — highlighting and documenting — will facilitate, indeed expedite frequent reviews of key material later.