Everyone has a natural rhythm. Some people seem to walk into the room with momentum already built in. Others take a little more time but do excellent work once they have direction. Both approaches matter, yet leaders often treat them as if one is better than the other.

The trouble usually shows up in expectations. Leaders reward the loud, fast, or enthusiastic people because they’re easy to see. Meanwhile, the steady contributors who need clarity before they engage get overlooked. It’s not about one group working harder. It’s about different people working differently.

Once you understand the difference, the team becomes much easier to lead.

Teams work better when you recognize who brings energy and who responds to it and you build your workflow to support both.

Energy givers naturally pull things forward. They start quickly, jump into discussions, and help people get moving. They often speak up first, bring ideas without prompting, and create the spark the team needs when things feel flat.

That spark is valuable. But it comes with a cost. Energy givers can get tired when they feel responsible for driving everything to the finish line. They thrive when they can start things, not when they have to sustain everything.

When leaders rely too heavily on them, burnout shows up fast. The fix isn’t to hold them back. It’s to give them a role that plays to their strength (starting the work rather than carrying it all the way through).

Energy receivers don’t always start quickly, but once they have clarity, direction, or a spark from someone else, they make strong progress. They often bring steadiness, consistency, and follow-through. While they might not create the initial momentum, they are excellent at keeping it moving once the path is clear.

These people are often misunderstood. They aren’t unmotivated. They aren’t disengaged. They simply operate better with context. And once they have it, they are some of the most reliable, focused contributors you have.

Their strength is in sustaining effort, not launching it.

Leading a team well doesn’t require turning everyone into a spark plug. It also doesn’t mean slowing down your energy givers to match everyone else. The goal is to understand who needs what and adjust the workflow accordingly.

Start by giving energy givers the space to kick things off. Let them set initial direction, share ideas, or create early movement. Then transition the work to people who thrive once the dust settles. This keeps both groups working in the way they naturally operate.

Give energy receivers the information and structure they need upfront. Clarity goes a long way for them. Once they know what matters and what success looks like, they move quickly and confidently.

Neither group is better. Both are necessary. The win comes from designing the work so each person contributes in the way they’re wired.

Acknowledge their contribution, then intentionally open the door for others. Something as simple as, “Let’s hear from two more people,” evens out the discussion.

Yes. People show up differently based on the project, stress level, and clarity. Look for the pattern, not the moment.

Every team runs on energy. Some people create it. Others sustain it. Your job is to know the difference and lead in a way that brings out the best in both.

~ Chad Todd

P.S.

I’m hosting a free Working Genius workshop on December 11th at 1:30 EST.

In 60 minutes, we’ll unpack the wiring behind how you work such as what gives you energy, what drains it, and where you need others to complement your strengths.

You’ll walk away seeing the hidden patterns in your day-to-day management and how to build a team that fuels, rather than frustrates, your work.