Your Leadership Fuel Gauge: Are You Feeding Energy or Draining It?
Food is fuel. We know this. It powers movement, focus, and stamina. The same is true in leadership, we either bring fuel to the team, or we burn it up.
When I coached basketball at Penn State Abington College, halftime wasn’t just a break. It was a leadership moment. As coaches, we’d take a few minutes before stepping into the locker room to ask ourselves one question:
“What does the team need right now?”
Sometimes they needed fire, a wake-up call about effort, accountability, or heart. Other times, they needed encouragement, a reminder that they had the tools and talent to turn things around. Occasionally, we’d walk in and say, “That one’s on us, we didn’t put you in the best position to succeed.” Other times, we’d offer some other “colorful” words… I’ll let your imaginations run with that one.
Whatever the message, it was never about ego. It was always about fueling a better second half.
We adjusted the lineup, changed the tone, and tailored the energy based on what the team needed in the moment. And more than once, those shifts sparked a comeback, not because we yelled louder, but because we got the fuel right. Occasionally, we let our players lead the dialogue. They didn’t always need to hear from us.
As the season progressed, we became more in tune with delivering the right message. Better at understanding what our team needed and providing the right fuel.
That same mindset applies far beyond the court. Just like our bodies need the right combination of nutrients to perform, proteins for strength, carbs for energy, hydration to recover, teams need a carefully balanced recipe of leadership fuel.
Some days, they need motivation that energizes like caffeine.
Other days, they need quiet encouragement, like a slow-cooked stew that warms from the inside out.
Sometimes, it’s clarity and direction, clean, simple, nourishing.
And occasionally, it’s a spark, something bold, spicy, unexpected, that shakes them out of complacency.
As leaders, our job is to know the ingredients and adjust the recipe. We can’t serve the same dish every time and expect high performance.
Leadership is nourishment. It’s not about feeding people what we like; it’s about giving them what they need to thrive.
Are you fueling your team intentionally, or hoping they'll find energy on their own?
Leadership works the same way in any setting. You walk into meetings, 1-on-1s, team huddles, and whether you realize it or not, you're either refilling the tank or draining it dry.
So what kind of fuel are you offering your team?
Encouragement when they’re doubting themselves?
Clarity when things feel cloudy?
Challenge when they’re playing it too safe?
Stillness when the pace has been relentless?
A meal, a break, a gesture, when they simply need to feel human again?
You don’t need to be perfect. But you do need to be intentional. Leadership is never one-size-fits-all, it’s knowing what kind of fuel fits the moment and being willing to show up accordingly.
What’s your go-to “fuel” when your team needs a spark? How do you adapt your energy to meet the moment?
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