Need More Energy — What Are Your Anchor Points?

No single behaviour is more fundamental to our effectiveness at work than being fully rested. The four elements of leadership — level of curiosity, insight, engagement, resilience  — is an excellent indicator of the executive’s energy levels. The greater the energy reserves, the further the executive is willing to push into each element.

When I asked where executives find the energy to push into these elements, Mina refers to what she calls “anchor points”, non-negotiable fixtures in an executives diary. The executive goes to these anchor points to draw energy and rejuvenation.

“You need to find where that energy source is for you. It’s knowing who you are as an individual and being so self-aware that you know when you’re depleted of energy. You must also know how you are going to replenish that energy. – Mina Ames, Managing Director, Russell Reynolds Associates
I am here to tell you that your first anchor point has to be sleep.

Making sleep a non-negotiable is a game changer. What it changes most is your mind. Regulate your sleep and you’ll be more creative, you’ll anticipate the problems and seize the opportunities that the de-energised miss. The energized mind and body stride effortlessly through the complexities of life.

So how do we know how much sleep we should be getting? The answer is simple: if you need an alarm clock to wake up, you aren’t getting enough sleep.

Beyond sleep, an executive’s anchor points could include time watching their children play sports on the weekends, spending time outdoors with their spouse, going for a swim at the end of the day, having breakfast one day a week with a different mate, or going for a bike ride with friends.

Anchor points are out deepest priorities. Without them, the executive suffers and gets caught in the energy vortex that is executive life.

Mina explains that the biggest challenge executives face are making the time to do these things, and doing them frequently enough to have the energy to spare.

This surplus energy allows executives to reach new levels of performance in their levels of curiosity, insight, engagement, resilience.