A few weeks ago, I wrote about watching 13,000 Phish fans experience pure joy at Forest Hills Stadium and wondering how we could create similar conditions for people to feel that energized and authentic at work. I was at that show with a former colleague I hadn’t seen in years—a fantastic teacher who used to work with me when I was a division head.
What I didn’t mention in that newsletter was the kind text he sent me the day after the show:
I wasn’t trying to be positive that night. I was just being myself, enjoying the music and reconnecting with someone I genuinely care about. But his observation made me wonder: Did my leadership come across this way when we worked together? (I hope so!) And more broadly, what energy do we bring to our everyday interactions as leaders—and why does it matter?
Turns out, research has some surprising answers.
Leaders Who Energize
Harvard Business Review research by Emma Seppälä and Kim Cameron reveals something surprising. After studying thousands of leaders across organizations, they found that the greatest predictor of leadership success isn’t charisma, strategy, or even expertise.
It’s positive relational energy: the energy that flows between people and either lifts them up or drains them.
Think about the last few leaders you’ve worked with closely. You probably remember exactly how you felt after spending time with them. Some left you feeling energized, capable, ready to tackle challenges. Others left you feeling depleted, second-guessing yourself, or exhausted.
Here’s what makes positive relational energy so powerful:
- It creates a “heliotropic effect” ☀️ — just like plants naturally turn toward light, people are naturally drawn to leaders who bring positive energy.
- Leaders who have it perform at higher levels 🎯 while helping others around them flourish in greater numbers at high-performing organizations.
- It drives measurable results 📈 — teams show greater innovation, teamwork, and workplace cohesion, while employees report higher job satisfaction, well-being, and even better relationships with their families.
What does this mean for your leadership? People don’t just need you to make good decisions or solve problems. They need you to bring positive energy that lifts them up and helps them do their best work.
And here’s the bonus: when you consistently bring positive energy to your leadership, you don’t just help others flourish; you become more energized yourself.
Finding the Real Source of Positive Energy
I’ve always tried to be a positive leader, but I also knew that my personal CliftonStrengths results didn’t have Positivity in the top 10. With that in mind, I went looking for other ways I might have brought positive energy to my leadership.
Looking at my own top 10 CliftonStrengths (shared below) helped me understand more about what my colleague was noticing:
👁️ Individualization (#2) drives me to see unique potential in each person
🌱🌱 Developer (#7) compels me to invest in others’ growth
🤝 Relator (#3) creates the deep connections where people feel truly seen
🛤️ Strategic (#1) helps me find alternative pathways when others hit walls
This combination creates my personal approach to positive relational energy as a leader—and it shows why understanding your own strengths matters so much. When you know where your positive energy comes from, you can lean into it more intentionally and create the kind of sustainable positive impact that energizes you, too.
That night at Forest Hills, my colleague kindly picked up on something that felt natural to me but stood out to him. And that’s exactly the kind of feedback that every leader should be paying attention to.
What This Means for Your Leadership
The Harvard research confirms what my colleague noticed: positive relational energy is the greatest predictor of leadership success, but it doesn’t require that we lead with Positivity.
Your own positive energy might come from your Empathy Strength, helping others feel understood; your Activator Strength moving teams from ideas to action; or your Includer Strength, making everyone feel like they belong.
Understanding your CliftonStrengths reveals where your positive energy naturally flows from. And that might be the most important leadership insight you never knew you needed. 💫
Sometimes it takes someone else to help you see the energy you bring.
Grateful for colleagues who remind us of who we are at our best.
PS – Want to discover where your positive leadership energy naturally flows from? Through CliftonStrengths coaching, we’ll uncover how your unique talents create the kind of energy that makes teams thrive. As a Gallup-certified Strengths Coach, I help leaders connect their authentic strengths to their leadership impact. Reach out if you’re ready to explore what that looks like for you. ✨