The Genius of Energy Mapping: Try this Simple Energy Management Exercise to Transform Your Team
Energy is the currency of performance. To perform at your best, you must manage your energy, not just your time.
-Jim Loehr & Tony Schwartz
We’ve been told for years that time management is the secret to success—plan every minute, optimize every task, and squeeze more productivity out of every hour. But what if the real key to peak performance, sustained engagement, and long-term success isn’t just about managing time—but also about managing our energy?
Picture a workplace where employees aren’t just racing against the clock but are fully engaged, motivated, and thriving. A place where productivity feels more engaging, and burnout isn’t the price of ambition.
If you’re constantly battling exhaustion, struggling to keep your team motivated, or feeling like there’s never enough time in the day, consider how this energy management can exercise help you rethink the way you—and your team—approach your work.
The Case for Energy Management
We often treat time as our most valuable resource, but what if, instead of striving to maximize output at any cost, we prioritized activities that recharge us, providing a way to strategically sustain our energy? While time management is valuable and can give us tools to help get the work done, an obsession with mere productivity can lead to burnout, disengagement, and even a decline in the quality of our work.
The real key to sustainable success isn’t squeezing more into the day—it’s intentionally managing our energy so we can work with greater clarity, creativity, and fulfillment.
Those who thrive don’t just power through tasks blindly; they understand when to push forward and when to step back. In her HBR article, Elizabeth Beth Saunders highlights how this type of strategic self-regulation is a defining trait of high performers. A serious risk lies in ignoring how we feel—because when we override exhaustion or frustration, our productivity may continue temporarily, but our effectiveness, creativity, and well-being will likely take a hit.
If you find yourself constantly chasing productivity but rarely enjoying your work, you may be caught in a cycle of self-perpetuating exhaustion—one driven by stress hormones that keep you trapped in urgency and frustration. As Fast Company’s Kristin Brownstone points out, hustle culture isn’t just about overworking; it’s an addiction to busyness itself. The rush of constant activity can hijack our lifeforce energy, leaving us depleted rather than fulfilled.
Imagine if, instead of measuring success by how much we accomplish, we measured it by how energized, inspired, and present we feel at the end of each day.
Moving from Drained to Dynamic: Rethink How You Work
Instead of simply squeezing more tasks into the day, sustainable energy management requires thoughtful choices about when, how, and why we work.
Consider these four key strategies:
Work with your natural energy rhythms. Research shows that our energy fluctuates throughout the day, yet many people push through tasks without considering when they are naturally most focused, creative, or productive. Instead of forcing productivity at all times, high performers structure their schedules to align with these rhythms—tackling deep work during peak energy periods and reserving routine or administrative tasks for lower-energy times.
Be intentional about where you invest your energy. Modern work culture often glorifies busyness, but being busy is not the same as being effective. High performers practice discernment, recognizing that every “yes” to one task is a “no” to something else. Prioritizing meaningful work—and letting go of unnecessary obligations—ensures that energy is directed toward what truly matters.
Shift from endurance to renewal. Smart performers don’t just manage their time and activities—they thoughtfully manage recovery. Pushing through exhaustion can create a cycle of diminishing returns, where productivity drops and motivation fades. Instead, effective workers build in renewal practices—whether through movement, creative breaks, or intentional downtime—to maintain long-term energy and engagement.
Cultivate emotional and mental clarity. Energy is not just physical—it’s also mental and emotional. Carrying unprocessed stress, indecision, or frustration can be just as draining as working long hours. Research suggests that clarity—both in our goals and our emotional state—enhances focus and decision-making. Practicing mindfulness, setting clear priorities, and addressing unresolved tensions can free up mental bandwidth and restore energy for the work that matters.
Build in key times of your days and weeks for processing time in whatever format works best for you: a brain dump, journaling (or audio journaling), a coaching session, a peer coaching session, or a thinking walk.
While these strategies offer broad ways to manage energy, it’s also helpful to have a structured framework for understanding how different types of work impact us individually. The Six Types of Working Genius model, developed by Patrick Lencioni and The Table Group, provides a practical tool for identifying the types of work that naturally energize us and those that drain us.
The Working Genius Model: A Tool for Energy Awareness
To effectively manage energy, it’s crucial to understand how different types of work require different kinds of energy. The Six Types of Working Genius provides insight into how individuals naturally engage with different phases of work—some tasks fuel and energize us, while others drain us.
The model identifies six distinct “Geniuses,” each representing a different way people contribute to getting work done:
Genius of Wonder (W): Thrives in questioning the status quo and identifying new possibilities. These individuals gain energy from curiosity and problem-spotting.
Genius of Invention (I): Enjoys creating original solutions and brainstorming ideas. They are energized by innovation and problem-solving.
Genius of Discernment (D): Excels in evaluating ideas and determining what will work. Their intuition and judgment bring clarity and direction.
Genius of Galvanizing (G): Finds energy in rallying and inspiring people to take action. These individuals naturally build enthusiasm and momentum.
Genius of Enablement (E): Gains fulfillment from supporting others and helping initiatives succeed. They are energized by collaboration and responsiveness.
Genius of Tenacity (T): Feels most engaged when driving projects to completion. They are energized by overcoming obstacles and achieving results.
When you can work within your Genius zone, you’re more likely to experience greater flow, motivation, and alignment. This leads to higher energy levels, more creative problem-solving, and a sense of fulfillment in your work.
On the other hand, when you’re working outside of your Genius zone—tackling tasks that don’t align with your natural strengths—it can be draining. This misalignment often results in frustration, disengagement, and even burnout, making it harder to stay productive and feel connected to the work you’re doing.
By recognizing your natural working style, you can make more intentional choices about how to approach tasks—both individually and as part of a team.
Energy Mapping: A Strategic Exercise for Energy Management
Once teams understand their Working Genius profiles, they can apply this awareness through energy mapping—a process that helps individuals and teams assess how different tasks impact their energy levels. By identifying which activities feel energizing, neutral, or draining, teams can make strategic adjustments to improve engagement, productivity, and overall well-being.
Step 1: Understand Your Working Genius
Before completing this energy mapping exercise, take the inventory to identify your Working Genius - the assessment will tell you your top two genius areas. This foundation helps individuals recognize whether their daily tasks align with their strengths. For example, someone with the Genius of Wonder may thrive in brainstorming, while a Genius of Tenacity excels in execution.
To get a full overview of this tool, read more about The Six Types of Working Genius.
Step 2: Categorize Your Tasks
After taking the assessment, and reviewing your results, list your regular tasks and classify them into three categories:
Energizing: Tasks that align with natural strengths, making work feel engaging, fulfilling, and motivating. These activities often create a sense of flow, where time passes quickly, and productivity feels effortless.
Neutral: Necessary tasks that don’t strongly impact energy levels. They may feel routine or administrative, but they contribute to overall team success. While they don’t spark excitement, they also don’t cause frustration or exhaustion.
Draining: Tasks that feel misaligned with strengths, requiring extra effort and often leading to mental or emotional fatigue. These activities can create stress, resistance, or frustration, making it harder to stay engaged and productive.
You may be uncertain about where some of your tasks fall - for those, you can place them in neutral or in an ‘unknown’ category.
Step 3: Adjust for Better Alignment
Then, use your energy mapping insights to optimize your daily and weekly activities.
If you are a team or people leader, use a team map to apply the insights to your team.
Delegate or rotate draining tasks.
If a task is draining for one person but energizing for another, consider shifting responsibilities. For unavoidable draining tasks, rotate them among team members to prevent burnout. If possible, provide additional support or streamline the process to make these tasks more manageable.Align responsibilities with energy.
Assign tasks based on natural strengths. If someone excels in Discernment, they should be involved in decision-making and evaluation. A team member with the Genius of Enablement may thrive in roles that require supporting others. Ensuring the right fit improves efficiency and morale.Make space for energizing tasks.
Proactively structure workloads to allow time for tasks that fuel motivation. If a team member finds energy in big-picture thinking, incorporate strategic discussions into their role. Balance necessary but neutral tasks with opportunities for creativity, problem-solving, or hands-on execution.Redesign workflows for better balance.
Look for ways to redistribute tasks, automate repetitive work, or adjust priorities so that each team member spends more time in their Genius zones.Acknowledge the limitations.
If you can’t make big changes, don’t get discouraged. Even small shifts can lead to greater energy and fulfillment.
Step 4: Review and Rebalance Regularly
Energy mapping is an ongoing process. Revisit your energy map periodically to ensure tasks remain well-balanced and aligned with your natural areas of strength.
To effectively manage energy, it’s important to step back and reflect on how daily tasks impact motivation, focus, and well-being.
These coaching questions serve as a practical tool for self-awareness, helping you identify patterns, recognize misalignments, and make intentional adjustments in your energy management.
Coaching Questions to Inspire New Insights
Find fresh perspectives with these carefully crafted coaching questions designed to spark new insights and drive meaningful change towards better energy management.
Whether you're coaching others or reflecting on your own growth, these prompts will challenge your thinking and guide you toward powerful breakthroughs.
