"It is important to realise that in the world today, we have no knowledge of what energy is."
Richard Feynman
"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark. The real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light."
Plato
Energy - Life Force and Eternal Enigma
Superficially "Organizational Energy" may refer to the collective vitality, enthusiasm, and motivation of the people within an organization. It's the driving force that fuels the company's progress, innovation, and overall financial success.
But does this properly define 'energy?" Absolutely not.
Richard Feynman famously said that "Energy is a very subtle concept. It is very, very difficult to get right."
Let's give it our best shot!
Eric Chaisson, cosmologist extraordinaire, gives us a most beautiful and simple description. "The universe can be best described as the flow of energy from sun radiation to matter."
It is surely no coincidence that so many ancient scripts and paintings show light as a divine energy source. Whether this is a divine creation or not will remain a discussion, but we can be sure of one thing. Light really is the energy that drives life, the universe and everything.
The universe contains an estimated eight hundred billion trillion suns, each one a fusion reactor injecting energy and the potential for life to every corner of the universe. I will restrict this discussion to our sun and our planet only.
Defining Energy - Potential vs Kinetic Energy
Given that there is no universal understanding of energy over a wide range of applications (apart from radiation from the sun), such as chemical, electrical, thermal, acoustic and nuclear, we have coped by defining different measures.
Examples of energy units include joules, watts and calories.
We have taken exactly the same approach and philosophy with defining and measuring leadership and organisation energy.
Firstly we recognise that all human energy has two fundamental elements. Potential energy and kinetic energy. They should never be confused.
Potential Energy
Potential energy is stored energy that can be released to do work. When Usain Bolt lines up for a 100m race his potential energy is the product of a life time of training and preparation in that moment.The moment the starter fires the gun this potential - chemical, physical, mental - explodes into kinetic energy or energy in action.
The same principle applies to people. Each person continuously builds a lifetime of experience into potential energy, ready to be released as and when required.
In the case of leaders and their organisations potential energy needs to be measured and assessed to form a logical platform for development.
In general terms this may relate to the knowledge, skill and experience needed to perform a task or job, as Usain Bolt would train to prepare successfully for on track performance.
Potential energy is a fluid and dynamic concept. It can be assessed and developed on a daily basis.
Kinetic Energy
This is where the flow of energy from radiation to matter comes into play. From the lioness taking down a fully grown zebra to Usain Bolt breaking the world record in under ten seconds. This is energy in action.
Life is not about a collection of things. Rather it is a continuous series of events. An expression of kinetic energy.
When it comes to leaders and organisations we are not looking at a ten second event but a more complex and non linear continuous flow of energy.
It is this flow of energy which determines all performance.
At Quanta we have researched, validated and customised two key energy barometers. One to measure leadership energy, and one to measure organisational energy.
Our instruments are based on sound systemic principles covering inputs, processes and outputs, such as knowledge and skill, leadership, innovation, teamwork and actual performance.
These instruments are globally unique in measuring kinetic energy. They use Quanta Energy Units (QEU's) to measure energy as we define it. They should therefore not be confused with any other leadership or organisation assessments.
These instruments have been built on sound scientific principles and have been used successfully with thousands of leaders and their organisations.
Quanta's 4D Energy Amplifier
Our 4D Energy Amplifier is our practical and proven method and toolkit for increasing and sustaining new energy levels to drive strategic success in organisations.
Again this is our globally unique solution. We fully integrate measuring and generating the special energy - the essential 'fuel' - to drive performance.
You are welcome to contact me if you would like to learn more.
John Raddall, CEO Quanta Consulting.
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