The Creativity Suite. Episode 164: Harnessing Creative Energy.

Interview with Alvanson So, Regional People Lead – South East Asia at Canva.

Sometimes we can learn so much about a word by looking at its etymology.

Like with the word ‘energy’.

‘Energy’ is Greek and built up by the word “En” meaning “In” and “Ergon” meaning ‘work, deed’.

So the core idea is: energy = ‘work happening (in action)’.

Now bring that back to your creative work and we are reminded how important our creative energy is.

It is our energy that makes our creative work happening.

And when you realize that, you also realize that one of the most important aspects of a leader’s job is to make sure that their people have the right energy.

Because if we have the right energy, the work will be happening.

Unlock people’s true energy and magic happens.

You do that by finding people’s true ‘drivers’ – things that give them energy.

But people also have ‘drainers’ – things that will drain their energy and make them less productive.

Help people find their drivers and unlock their energy blockers to get rid of their drainers and you will have helped to unleash the creative energy of someone.

This text was inspired by a conversation with Alvanson So, Regional People Lead – South East Asia at Canva. Alvanson has worked in HR for 15+ years and he is passionate about helping unlock people’s creative energy.

Alvanson: “People draw energy and people give energy, and a lot of energy is wasted when people are not happy in their role. As a HR Manager I get energy from shining the spotlight on other people. To help them find a way to channel their energy. Get the energy right and the work will happen.”

I asked him how a leader should think in order to maximize unleashing energy.

Alvanson So said:

“First, you need to know the people. As in, really know them.”

Alvanson has weekly one-on-one meetings with his people in order to build such strong personal connection that he knows not just what is happening in their work life, but also in their life in general.

He mentions the Chinese phrase: ‘Kam Ching’ which is Hokkien for a close relationship.

Alvanson poetically describes it as “sharing one heart”. When you know someone so well that you truly understand them then you can also start to understand what gives and drains energy to them.

Alvanson shared a personal example about how his own father had fallen into depression after retiring and how Alvanson had helped him come out of it by helping his father find a new purpose late in life.

The breakthrough had come in a “heart in heart conversation” where Alvanson used his knowledge about his dad and his understanding of what would drain or give his dad energy to help the father connect with the positive energy again.

A long career in HR has taught Alvanson So the importance of helping people find their inner energy.

But as powerful as that is, most people still do not know how to do it.

An important job for a leader is to help people find it.

So, if you are a leader take a minute and look at your team and see if you can answer these questions:

What gives my people energy?

What blocks their energy?

What drains their energy?

And are you doing what you can to help facilitate the maximum flow of energy to your team?

Because if you do, the “work will be happening” – it is literally what the word “Energy” means…