The Energy Gap 

 

Have you ever noticed that certain leadership tasks—like brainstorming a new curriculum or mediating a departmental conflict—leave you feeling energized, while others—like detailed budget reconciliation or making a quick, top-down decision—leave you completely drained?  

This isn’t a sign of a lack of ability; it’s a reflection of your natural leadership tendencies. Many leaders spend years trying to copy the style of a mentor or “classic” administrative archetype, only to find themselves exhausted. True, effective leadership in higher ed isn’t about changing who you are; it’s about understanding the patterns you already follow.  

Shift Your Framing: Identify Your “Go-To” Patterns 

To lead authentically, you must first recognize your core tendencies. Self-awareness is the foundation of effective leadership, and you can uncover your patterns by observing three specific areas:  

• Reflect on your stress responses: Notice what you default to under pressure. Do you dive into deep analysis, seek immediate input from colleagues, or focus purely on execution? Your stress behaviors often reveal your core strengths in an exaggerated way. Note: An assessment like the Five Paths to Leadership® Self-Assessment can help you to identify how you lead in typical situations and how you lead under stress. 
• Examine your energy patterns: Pay attention to which activities feel effortless. Do you feel most alive when problem-solving, building relationships, or strategizing for the long term?  
• Seek feedback on your “go-to” moves: Ask a trusted colleague what they see you naturally gravitating toward in meetings or when a project hits a snag. Often, others can spot our natural patterns more clearly than we can ourselves.  

Anchor Your Leadership in Authenticity 

Understanding these patterns suggests how your philosophy should be applied. For example, if building relationships comes naturally to you but decisive action requires more effort, your philosophy might emphasize collaboration and trust-building. You can then create intentional practices around the areas that require more conscious effort, such as decision-making and follow-through.  

The goal is to understand your unique style so that you can lead with confidence instead of trying to be someone you’re not.  

Tomorrow, we’ll explore how to go beyond “watching” other leaders to start learning from them with a critical lens.  

Pause & Reflect 

Over the next 48 hours, keep a “Leadership Energy Log.” After every meeting or decision, jot down a (+) if you felt energized or a (-) if you felt drained. What commonalities do you see in the (+) tasks? 

Or, if you’d like to utilize Sophia, our AI leadership coach, try this prompt: “I’ve noticed that I feel most energized when I am [insert task, e.g., mentoring staff] but I feel drained by [insert task, e.g., quick executive decisions]. Based on this, what might my natural leadership tendencies be, and how can I handle the ‘draining’ tasks more effectively without burning out?”