"It is important to realise that in physics today, we have no knowledge of what energy is."

Richard Feynman, Nobel Prize winning scientist

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe 

Douglas Adams was a genius of the imaginary world.  He had this unique ability to surprise us at every turn with a new and startling idea that had the power to imprint on our minds for life.  This was his energy.

Steve Jobs was a genius in the real world.  He had the special skill of taking an imaginary idea and converting it into something of extraordinary beauty in the real world. This was Steve's energy.

Every organisation is a hybrid of Adams and Jobs.  A combination of the real and the imagined.  A continuous melding of intelligent thinking and intelligent action.

This is the energy of the organisation.  The ability to think smarter and act smarter than the competition.

Both of these energy components can be measured, generated and unleashed.

The Immutable Laws of Organisational Energy

FIRST LAW - ALL PERFORMANCE IS A FUNCTION OF AVAILABLE SYSTEM ENERGY

An organisation is a complex and dynamic human system that evolves a unique cultural DNA and an equilibrium system energy level.   This equilibrium energy level is defined by an energy boundary.  This determines all performance.

SECOND LAW - ALL ORGANISATIONS CAN GAIN OR LOSE ENERGY OVER TIME

Organisations are dynamic, complex and open systems that can gain or lose energy over time.  They will naturally lose energy due to entropy or gain energy due to leadership action.

THIRD LAW - SYSTEM ENERGY IS DETERMINED BY THE LAWS OF PHYSICS

Energy is defined by the level of intelligent thinking and intelligent action in the system.  There is a direct correlation between energy level and measured performance.

FOURTH LAW - THE DNA OF ORGANISATIONS IS A COMBINATION OF CONSCIOUS RULES AND UNCONSCIOUS META RULES

Humans can do three things.  They can Feel, Think or Act.  (F,T,A)  These are the steps on the DNA ladder that link the helix strands of rules and meta-rules that drive attitudes, beliefs and behaviour.

FIFTH LAW - NEW LEVELS OF ENERGY ARE GENERATED THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF NEW SYSTEM RULES AND META-RULES.

This is the prime role of leadership.  Leaders create the climate or context for all performance.  There are only two ways to change the system.

Change the actions and behaviours of the leaders.

Change the leaders.

SIXTH LAW - THE UNIVERSAL EVOLUTIONARY ALGORITHM IS THE 'ENGINE' THAT GENERATES NEW SYSTEM ENERGY.

The universe is driven by three core elements.  Energy, Entropy and the Evolutionary Algorithm.  This algorithm is the software that prevents the universe collapsing into a frozen wasteland, and organisations from going bankrupt.  It drives all creativity and innovation, the essence of all evolutionary success.

SEVENTH LAW - ORGANISATIONS HAVE AN INVISIBLE SYSTEM BOUNDARY

As hybrid systems, organisations are both real and imaginary.  They have no system boundary in the real world. This boundary resides in the minds of people.  This must be managed.

Practical application of the Seven Laws 

It is worth remembering that conventional leadership and organisational theory has become hopelessly ineffective.

Applying the systemic principles of energy management offers a practical and intelligent alternative.

To summarise.

An organisation is a dynamic system with a unique energy level that determines all performance.  Raise the energy level and you automatically raise the performance.

The first step is always to measure system energy.  This includes leaders, teams and organisations.

The second step is to set a system energy target to match the strategic goals.

The third step is to customise the new leadership actions and behaviours - the new high-energy 'genes' that can be spliced onto the existing DNA.

The final step is to execute your high-energy plan, review and maintain.

And enjoy the rapid increase in system performance!