Why some people spark energy at work and others drain us

Research shows that relational energy can foster innovation, creativity, and problem solving at work. Assistant Professor Rohit Piplani explains how to build it and enhance social capital.

We’ve all worked with “energy suckers” at work.

The people whose brief interactions leave us feeling drained.

And on the flipside, there are colleagues who energise us, motivate us, and inspire us to take action.

Why is it that some people drain us and others energise us?

According to Assistant Professor of Management Rohit Piplani, the answer lies in relational energy.

It's a strategic asset that can lead to enhanced creativity and innovation within organisations, as well as better personal outcomes for you in the workplace.

Assistant Professor Piplani examined this phenomenon in a study for a pharmaceutical company’s R&D division, led by Associate Professor of Management Travis Grosser from the University of Connecticut with Associate Professor of Management Christopher Sterling from California State University, Fresno.

Here he shares the benefits their research revealed and how you can develop relational energy.

What is relational energy?

Relational energy is the psychological boost we experience after interacting with someone.

“It’s the subjective feeling of being energised, uplifted and motivated through a social interaction,” Assistant Professor Piplani said.

Professor Piplani likes to think of it as a battery.

“To be effective at work, that battery needs to be charged and recharged. Certain interactions recharge it and others deplete it.”

There are the ‘energisers’ who leave us feeling motivated and excited, the ‘neutrals’ whose interactions have little emotional effect on us and the ‘de-energisers’ who leave us feeling drained and deflated.

These patterns form an energy network within organisations which has important implications.

Mapping relational energy at work

In the study, the researchers mapped who energised whom within the R&D division.

They found that the individuals who were consistently identified by others as energising, were more likely to wield informal influence.

“We found that when an employee energised his political support contacts in the organisation, those contacts were more likely to invest effort in championing that employee’s ideas in the workplace," Assistant Professor Piplani said.

Their findings suggested that supporters were more likely to foster broad acceptance of an employee’s ideas, secure approval from key gatekeepers, and ultimately enhance the employee’s innovation implementation performance.

In other words, relational energy created leverage.

Why relational energy matters

This leverage shaped organisational outcomes such as innovation, collaboration, and creativity.

Assistant Professor Piplani said they identified the following four key benefits to ‘energisers’:

1. Better task performance

Colleagues who are energised by someone’s interactions are more likely to share information and resources with them, which helps improve an energiser’s ability to manage their day-to-day tasks and productivity.

2. Enhanced creativity

The sharing of diverse, non-redundant information, can also fuel innovation, creative thinking, and help an energiser solve problems.

3. Stronger social capital

People like to interact with energisers. They are more motivated to collaborate, seek their advice, and build long-term professional relationships. This translates to greater social capital in the workplace.

4. More idea champions

When others feel energised by someone, they are more inclined to support their ideas and push them forward within an organisation especially if they are influencers in an organisation.

The downsides of being an energiser

But it’s not all good news for energisers.

Assistant Professor Piplani said there were some costs to being an energiser.

“Energising individuals are often highly sought after, and this can lead to an overload of requests, meetings and additional demands,” he said.

This can lead to a risk of burnout for energising individuals.

“Constantly giving energy without reciprocity can lead to stress and exhaustion,” Assistant Professor Piplani said.

There was also the risk of groupthink if people surrounded themselves with other energisers.

“In highly energised networks, people may avoid dissent or critical evaluation which can reduce the quality of debate and thinking.”

Like any resource, it’s crucial to manage relational energy carefully.

The key driver of relational energy

So how do you become an energiser, and reap the benefits?

One of the key drivers to being an energiser was ‘perspective taking.’

This involved practicing a dual focus of attention where energisers could understand the other person's point of view, hold their own interest in mind, and hold authentic conversations.

In other words, they weren’t going into interactions with a transactional mindset.

“When people feel understood, they feel energised,” Assistant Professor Piplani said.

“Even if you don’t fully agree or don’t have all the answers, a genuine effort to understand someone else’s point of view creates a powerful psychological boost.”

Assistant Professor Piplani said anyone could become an energiser - extrovert or introvert.

“Many introverts are exceptionally effective at energising others. Being energising is not about being loud. Introverts may have fewer conversations and may not be the loudest voices in the room, but they can be highly energising in the interactions they choose to engage in,” he said.

Perspective taking was a cognitive habit that could simply become part of your routine with regular practice.

“Building energising connections requires effort, but that effort builds durable social capital.”

Four habits to become an energiser

There were four key habits that the researchers identified among energisers that others could practice in the workplace to build relational energy.

1. Mutual attention

Active listening was important to building relational energy, and that meant not just waiting to speak but genuinely engaging with the other person in conversation.

2. Positive affective tone

Expressing warmth, enthusiasm, and positive emotional energy amplified relational energy.

3. Authentic Engagement

Genuine curiosity was important to building relational energy with people able to naturally sense when the interaction was purely “what’s in it for me.”

4. Responsiveness

By responding to the other person’s interactions thoughtfully you signalled respect and fostered greater relational energy.

Assistant Professor Piplani said relational energy was reciprocal and by regularly practicing perspective taking, showing genuine curiosity, and a willingness to help your colleagues, it would ultimately pay dividends in the workplace and in your career.

Dr. Rohit Piplani is an Assistant Professor of Management at Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne. Rohit teaches Managing People and Business Essentials on the Full-time and Part-time MBA programs at MBS.