Players could choose from motivational golf tees, “Trash Talking Tees,” or putter pens to write down an intention for the day. The idea was simple: choose the energy you wanted to bring onto the course. And almost immediately, people did exactly that.
Many grabbed the Trash Talking Tees because that matched the energy of the tournament: light, competitive, playful, and fun. Before people even stepped up to the tee box, they were laughing, joking with each other, and talking smack before taking their shot. The energy became contagious.
But one executive picked up a different tee. It read: Focus and Execute.
A few moments later, he stepped up and hit an incredible drive straight down the fairway. Then he turned around, held up the tee, and said, “As long as I do this… focus and execute… I’ll always hit my goals.”
That statement captures one of the biggest challenges leaders, teams, and individuals are facing right now.
The issue is rarely capability. More often, energy is being drained by distractions, misalignment, and competing priorities. Back-to-back meetings, constant notifications, unclear communication, emotional tension, and work disconnected from purpose all pull energy away from meaningful execution.
And when focus gets drained, productivity follows.
That’s why Energy Leadership™ is not just about motivation. It’s about alignment. Because when people are misaligned, their energy gets scattered across frustrations, distractions, and competing demands instead of being directed toward results.
Energy Flows
The highest-performing leaders understand this. They do not just manage people. They manage energy. They identify what is draining productivity, creating friction, and dividing focus.
Because once those drains are identified, something powerful happens: people regain focus, teams regain momentum, and goals become executable again.
That executive probably thought he was simply picking up a golf tee. But what he really picked up was a reminder: Energy flows where your focus goes.
NHLA member guest blogger for this post: Rebecca Ahmed, Energetic Impact
