I was so fortunate to have a coach in my early career that asked me these questions. I would go home each day and ask myself “Was that a good day? If so, why? If not, why?” That reflection ultimately led me to the career I’m in today – this has led me to be not only incredibly grateful, but also very aware that I can perform best when I’m doing what brings me joy and energy. Its so important that leaders ask their teams these questions – then, really listen, and collaborate with them to develop ways to bring more of what energizes them into their day-to-day work. It can make a huge difference for team success!

This is one of those posts that feels like it was written with a flashlight under your chin at 1am—because it hits a truth most of us avoid on purpose.
Burnout rarely announces itself. It just creeps in as resignation masquerading as routine.

And you’re right—energy is a more honest compass than productivity. Some weeks I crush KPIs and still feel dead inside. Other weeks I fight through chaos and somehow feel charged. The difference wasn’t results—it was resonance.

The audit sounds simple, but it’s brutal if you do it right. Especially when the stuff that drains you is what you’re praised for.

But that’s also the breakthrough.

Because once you see it, you can steer. And most people aren’t stuck because of capability—they’re stuck because they’ve stopped steering.
Sharing this with my team.

We all needed this reminder.

Hiten Shah, the “energy question” is clutch. 💪

I personally use a journal, not just to track what’s draining and what’s firing me up, but what that’s telling me about it. Think of it as a gamer’s walkthrough for your own damn life.

Been lucky enough to grow with awesome folks who always traded strategies and questions, always asking “Why?”

“How did we do?” “How could we level up?” “What are the levers that build trust” and “how to pull the emergency cord without burning the place down”?
It’s about being brutally honest, not just with yourself, but with your partners.

Show them the process.
Show them the wins. Show them the code.

Because that’s how you build leaders—
You give them the map to their strengths, and the permission to rewrite the story.

Thank you for sharing this, Hiten. I’d like to add two reflections:
1. There are tasks that fall somewhere in the middle of the energy-giving and energy-draining spectrum. While necessary, I try to limit them to no more than 5–10% of my time. These are often operational in nature and can eventually be good candidates for delegation.
2. I’ve found that the type of work that energizes me tends to evolve every 5–7 years. As we grow and gain self-awareness, our preferences naturally shift—so it’s important to stay open to recalibrating and pivoting when needed.

What gives a team energy is focus and clear intent. Energy creates more energy, hence momentum. We call this culture. When a team doesn’t have focus, there is a lot of activity but no momentum. They don’t know how to scope concise problems. They try to boil the ocean. They chase ta-dah moments vs insights. You don’t just decide one day to do this. There is usually just enough of the right people who ask the right questions, model the right behaviors, inspire what is possible and show the way to clear intent.

THE question! I’ve also found it very helpful to go deeper into details: was it the work itself, the people I worked with, the environment I was in, the culture, the power dynamics, the goals I had…

We spend too much of our time at work, and it effects the rest of our lives, too. There is soo much at stake with this question!

This is why remote work is incredible. What drains me – office spaces, the noise, the lighting, that sense that someone is always watching, the small talk, navigating the social norms. I used to be brain dead, totally mentally drained by 5pm.

Since remote work, even though I now have 2 kids, I can still think and communicate and engage with my family in the evening.

This is so spot on, and a very helpful framing. The only thing I would add is that many people have never experienced the energy they receive from working on a great team, so it does take a bit of a leap of faith to believe it is possible, or the agency to help create that environment.

This hits hard. I started doing this energy audit a while back and it’s wild how often the “small” tasks light me up more than the big wins. We talk a lot about productivity, but not enough about energy alignment. Total game-changer. 🔋

These two questions feel simple on the surface…But they quietly unlock the truth we often avoid.

Answering them honestly, even once a week, can shift how we lead, work, and live.