Working Styles and Energy Dynamics

Everyone has strengths and faces challenges in different areas. Some people enjoy meeting and interacting with others. Other people prefer self-reflection and quiet. Some are outgoing, charismatic, emotional, and aware of others’ needs. Others are more methodical, driven by facts and data, preferring reason and logic over taking risks. These strengths and challenges are called working styles, or energy dynamics.

Essential Reading: Energy Intensities
Energetic dimensions show you where different kinds of energies come together in people. Most people have combinations of energies, like internal and external, flexible and orderly, etc. Some have high examination energy or low explore energy. Many have energy intensities that take precedence over all others and could interfere with other phases of the cycle. Think about people you know— family, work colleagues, etc. Can you identify which kinds of energies they might have? How might these energies affect their working styles?

Abundant: Participation in a phase of the success/satisfaction cycle at abundant energy intensity takes precedence over any other phase. It is the most natural and easy to activate and requires a lot of energy to defend so it can become a liability when it becomes necessary to move to other phases of the cycle. If you think of energy intensities as floating on water, then abundant energy is like being caught in a tsunami—you are swept along in an overwhelming wave and cannot escape without outside help. With what dynamic do you think you operate at the abundant energy level?
Effortless: Participation in a phase of the success/satisfaction cycle at effortless energy intensity takes precedence over all other phases except abundant. It is natural, flexible, and energy efficient. It expends the least amount of overall energy. With effortless energy, you are being carried along with the current in exactly the direction you need to go with very little difficulty. With what dynamic do you think you operate at the effortless energy level?
Deliberate: Participation in a phase of the success/satisfaction cycle at deliberate energy intensity can be consciously selected. It is not smooth or flowing, and it expends a lot of energy to determine whether it should be used. In the floating metaphor, the waters are still with deliberate energy, so you are having to work to get anywhere though the effort is not very difficult. With what dynamic do you think you operate at the deliberate energy level?

Reserved: Participation in a phase of the success/satisfaction cycle at reserved energy intensity is consciously avoided. It takes the most energy and is the least natural. With reserved energy intensity, the water is choppy, so it takes more effort to move. You get tired much more quickly. With what dynamic do you think you operate at the reserved energy level?

Lesson 4.2: Working Styles and Energy Dynamics
Essential Questions
• What are the strengths and challenges of various working styles?
• What are the five energy dynamics and their connection to working styles?
• Which working style do you identify the most with?
• Which energy dynamic do you identify the most with?
Overview
Working style energies define the ways people see and react to the world. Some people see the way the world could be and focus on realizing future goals. Others prefer to live in the moment, valuing people and relationships. Some seek results through a challenge, a competition, and concrete measurable goals, while others are focused on why things happen and are comfortable with using logic and data to understand the world. Each of these dynamic energies is important for success. In this lesson, you will learn about energy dynamics and how they relate to working styles.
Essential Reading: Characteristics of People
Each energy dynamic has unique characteristics. Every person has characteristics that fit with each style but may be stronger in one style than in the others. Which energy dynamic do you identify the most with?
Explore energy: People who are high in explore energy like to create new ideas and solve problems using atypical methods. They see future implications in every action and are aware of feelings and how to connect the unconnected. They are often imaginative, idealistic, independent, empathetic, and feelings-based, and they want to know the answer to the how question.
Excite energy: People high in excite energy love to share ideas and feelings and generate excitement. They are entertaining and enthusiastic about communicating by whatever means necessary. They are often optimistic, spontaneous, opportunistic, and charming; and they want to know the answer to the who question.
Examine energy: People with high levels of examine energy like to solve problems by looking at all the information, organizing, and creating structure and systems.
They like to finish projects by a deadline. They are adept at researching and collecting data, as well as exposing flaws and correcting mistakes. They are often introverted, rational, detail oriented, organized, and precise and want to know the answer to the why question.
Execute energy: People who are high in execute energy like the challenge of finishing everything by a deadline. They are good at getting others to do their jobs and are driven to achieve goals no matter what is in the way. They move forward best in structures and systems and are great at getting and giving rewards. They are often ambitious, leaders, willful, intense, action oriented, and challenging and want to know the answer to the what question.

Essential Reading: Understanding Working Styles and Energy Dynamics
As a way of understanding the different working styles or energy dynamics that shape people’s characteristics, you will look at an energy intensity flow (EIF) matrix (developed by 5 Dynamics) later in this section. The framework is based on the idea that everyone gets energy in a variety of ways and that this manifests in how they complete their work. Everyone has their own working style or energy dynamic. How you act determines your journey, as well as your results.
To practice with the working styles framework, you will be asked to score movie characters using the energy intensity flow (EIF) matrix later in the course.
Think back to when you last completed a project. The project had a beginning, middle, and end. The life cycle of a project has some regular phases or parts. Recall that there are five dynamics required to accomplish any task. They form a five-step cycle:

1. Explore: Every initiative starts with an awareness, idea, or concept.
2. Excite: The idea or awareness is energized, radiated, and championed to advance it toward planning.
3. Examine: The energized idea is then analyzed and developed into a detailed plan with procedures, standards, and timelines.
4. Execute: All tasks from the plan are actively completed with energy and awareness; people hold themselves and others accountable.
5. Evaluate: The cycle is evaluated by whether it has been completed with success and satisfaction.

Essential Reading: The Hero Within
All people have innate qualities, and within everybody is a latent hero. How they meet the challenges they face shapes the kind of heroes they become.
There are two kinds of heroes:
• outer or action heroes
• inner heroes who discover and change themselves
This course focuses on your inner hero by helping you search for and find your gifts and strengths. Inner heroes change their behaviors over time to become authentic and use their gifts and strengths.
Reflection: Inner Hero
Reflect on past experiences that have helped you become aware of your inner strengths. Note at least five adjectives that describe the characteristics that compose your inner hero (e.g., quiet, strong, stubborn). You can write down the adjectives on a piece of paper and save them for future reference.

Lesson 4.3: Self-Assessment of Working Style
Essential Questions
• What are the five energy dynamics and their connection to working styles?
• Which working style do you identify with most?
• Which energy dynamic do you identify with most?
Overview
People’s attention shifts as they move through the dynamics of any process. Their natural energy preferences drive their focuses and actions. External success and internal satisfaction come from applying energies to their goals. Based on what you know about the 5 Dynamics, what are your innate energy preferences? How do these dynamics show up for you? In this unit, you will take what you learned from your 5 Dynamics report and assess your working style.
Essential Reading: Energy Intensities and Patterns
Review the following information on energy intensities and energy patterns. To be effective in what you do and how you interact with others, you will need to understand working styles and the energies that define them.
Essential Reading: Learning Strategies for Working Styles
As previously mentioned, you will receive a 5 Dynamics report about your learning approach. Pay attention to areas in which you are effortless or higher on your assessment.
Review the following learning strategies for each working style (energy) and identify which learning strategies you want to make into habits.
Explore
• Remain aware (positive).

• Use the Pomodoro study technique (smaller, more consistent bursts of study time).
• Schedule study time. Make it a part of your routine.
• Read ahead to better understand broader ideas.
• Use recorded videos and cohort recordings to review.
• Copy and reorganize notes.
• Do it now!
Excite
• Always remember to read materials and notes first.
• Engage in cohort opportunities and live sessions whenever possible.
• Schedule appointments for both school and leisure time.
• Plan time. Be habitual. Use study groups, not chat groups.
• Use diagrams and mind maps.
Examine
• Outline your notes.
• Be less detailed for test prep.
• Anticipate questions on the test then prepare.
• Use color coordination to organize your notes.
• Some students benefit from separate notebooks for each subject.
Execute
• Organize study groups.
• Read materials ahead of the class.
• Volunteer and answer questions.
• Create daily and weekly to-do lists to stay focused.
• Take notes.
• Ask study group members to help anticipate questions that might be on the test.