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Why Sensemakers Feel Exhausted in Fast-Paced Teams (And What This Teaches Us About Energy Alignment)

By Sénamé Agbossou The Strategy Meeting That Changed Everything Raphael sat in the corner of the conference room, watching his colleagues rapid-fire through decisions that would impact the next six months of product development. As Head of Strategic Planning, he'd prepared extensively for this meeting; analyzing market trends, competitor movements, and potential risks. But every time he tried to raise a strategic concern, someone cut him off with "We don't have time for analysis paralysis" or "Let's just move forward and adjust as we go." Three hours later, the team had made decisions that Raphael could see would create problems down the road. But in that fast-paced environment, his natural Sensemaker energy (the deep thinking and pattern recognition that made him invaluable), felt like a liability. Sound familiar? If you've ever felt like your thoughtfulness is seen as slowness, or your strategic perspective is dismissed as overthinking, you might be experiencing what I call energy misalignment. Understanding the Sensemaker in a Speed-Obsessed World Sensemakers are one of the five Work Energy Types I've identified through decades of leadership coaching. They bring clarity to complexity, see patterns others miss, and provide the strategic insight that prevents costly mistakes. In our Ubuntu philosophy, Sensemakers serve as the navigation system for the collective journey. While others focus on speed and immediate action, Sensemakers help ensure the team is heading in the right direction. But in today's business environment, with its emphasis on "fail fast" and "move quickly and break things," Sensemakers often feel like they're swimming upstream. The Real Cost of Speed Without Wisdom Here's what I've observed in organizations that consistently prioritize speed over strategic thinking: Short-term gains, long-term pain. Teams move quickly in the wrong direction, creating expensive course corrections later. Decision fatigue. When every choice is made rapidly without proper consideration, teams burn out from constantly dealing with the unintended consequences. Strategic blindness. Organizations lose the ability to see around corners, missing both opportunities and threats until they're unavoidable. Sensemaker exodus. Strategic thinkers leave for environments where their contributions are valued, taking critical institutional knowledge with them. Raphael's experience illustrates this perfectly. His team's rapid decisions in that strategy meeting led to three major product pivots over the following year; pivots that Raphael's initial analysis could have prevented. The Sensemaker's Dilemma Maria, a senior analyst at a consulting firm, described her frustration this way: "I can see the patterns that lead to client churn, but by the time I've done the analysis properly, my colleagues have already moved on to the next fire drill. Then six months later, we're dealing with exactly the problems I predicted." This is the Sensemaker's dilemma: their greatest value often lies in preventing problems that haven't happened yet, but fast-paced environments reward visible action over invisible prevention. Creating Ubuntu Teams: Balancing Speed and Wisdom The solution isn't to slow down every fast-paced team or to speed up every Sensemaker. It's to create what I call Ubuntu Teams: environments where different energy types can contribute their…

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9 September 2025

Sénamé Publication

The Driver Who Learned to Lead

By Sénamé Agbossou "If you're always the one pushing projects forward..." Roxane's message came through LinkedIn at 11:47 PM on a Tuesday: "I'm exhausted from being the only one who seems to care about getting things done. My team thinks I'm too intense, but if I don't push, nothing happens. How do I lead without burning everyone out?" Sound familiar? If you're nodding as you read this, you might be what I call a Driver: one of the five Work Energy Types I've identified in my years of coaching executives. And while your drive is likely your greatest asset, it might also be your biggest leadership challenge. Meet the Driver: Roxane's Story Roxane runs operations for a tech startup in Amsterdam. Brilliant, decisive, and results-oriented, she'd built a reputation for delivering the impossible. When the company needed to launch their product six weeks early to beat a competitor, Roxane made it happen. When their biggest client threatened to leave over service issues, Roxane personally fixed every problem in 72 hours. But by the time she reached out to me, Roxane was leading a demoralized team with 40% turnover in eight months. "I don't understand it," she said during our first conversation. "I give them clear goals, I remove obstacles, I celebrate wins. But they say I'm 'too much.' How is wanting excellence too much?" Roxane was experiencing what I call the Driver's Paradox: the very intensity that makes you effective can create the conditions that make you less effective. Understanding the Driver Energy Pattern Drivers are energized by momentum, achievement, and breakthrough results. They see what needs to happen and make it happen, often before others have finished discussing whether it's a good idea. In the Ubuntu philosophy of "I am because we are," Drivers serve as the catalysts who transform collective potential into actual outcomes. But here's what Roxane was missing: leadership isn't just about getting results through your own energy; it's about creating conditions where others can contribute their natural energy to achieve shared results. Core Driver Strengths: Action-oriented: You take charge when others hesitate Decisive: You make confident decisions that keep projects moving Focused: You cut through complexity to what really matters High standards: You drive excellence in yourself and others Energy Sources: Clear, urgent goals with real deadlines High-pressure execution where stakes matter Visible, direct impact from your efforts Breaking through obstacles and getting teams unstuck The Driver's Growth Edge Three months into our coaching work, Roxane had a breakthrough moment. During a team retrospective, her lead developer Rebecca said something that changed everything: "Roxane, your energy is incredible, and it's what makes our impossible deadlines possible. But sometimes I feel like a passenger in a car that's going too fast. I want to contribute more than just hanging on." Roxane realized she'd been leading like a solo performer rather than an orchestra conductor. Her natural Driver energy was getting results, but it wasn't creating space for others to bring their unique contributions. The Ubuntu Shift:…

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9 September 2025

Sénamé Publication

The 5 Work Energy Types That Transform Teams

By Sénamé Agbossou The Missing Piece in Leadership Development After 25 years of working with executives and business owners, I've noticed something profound: the most successful leaders aren't necessarily the smartest or most skilled. They're the ones who understand their natural work energy and align their roles accordingly. This realization led me to develop what I call the Work Energy Types framework: five distinct patterns that determine how we naturally bring energy to our work. Today, I want to share this framework with you because understanding your Work Energy Type isn't just helpful; it’s transformational. Beyond Traditional Assessments Most leadership development focuses on skills, competencies, and behavioral styles. These are important, but they miss something fundamental: how you're energetically wired to work. Your Work Energy Type isn't about what you can do; it’s about what naturally energizes versus drains you while doing it. It's the difference between working hard and working in harmony with your natural design. The Ubuntu Foundation Before diving into the five types, let me share the philosophical foundation that guides this work. At Obuntuo, we operate from the Ubuntu principle: "I am because we are." This ancient African philosophy reminds us that our individual energy doesn't exist in isolation. It flows in relationship with others, creating the collective energy that drives teams and organizations forward. Your Work Energy Type isn't about putting you in a box; it's about understanding how your unique energy contributes to the whole. When each person operates from their natural energy pattern, the entire team becomes more alive, more productive, and more purposeful. The Five Work Energy Types THE EXPLORER: "I thrive on innovation and breakthrough thinking" Core Drive: Discovery and innovation Explorers thrive when venturing into uncharted territory. They bring energy through curiosity, experimentation, and pioneering new approaches. These are the people who see possibilities where others see problems, who get excited by the unknown rather than intimidated by it. Natural strengths: Breakthrough thinking, adaptability, vision, creative problem-solving Energy sources: Variety, innovation projects, brainstorming sessions, learning opportunities Watch out for: Starting too many projects without finishing, getting bored with maintenance tasks Explorer Insight: Explorers often feel guilty about getting bored with successful projects. But boredom isn't a character flaw; it’s your energy calling you toward innovation. THE BUILDER: "I create lasting systems and turn visions into reality" Core Drive: Creation and construction Builders find their energy in turning ideas into tangible reality. They love creating systems, establishing processes, and building something that lasts. When others are spinning with possibilities, Builders are asking, "How do we actually make this work?" Natural strengths: Systematic execution, reliability, focus, long-term thinking Energy sources: Project completion, creating lasting systems, seeing plans become reality Watch out for: Perfectionism paralysis, resistance to necessary changes Builder Insight: Builders often feel pressure to be more "visionary" or "innovative." But their superpower is taking brilliant ideas and making them actually work in the real world. THE CONNECTOR: "I bring people together for collaborative success" Core Drive: Relationships and collaboration Connectors are…

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9 September 2025

Sénamé Publication

The Explorer Trapped in a Builder’s Prison (And How She Broke Free)

By Sénamé Agbossou "I should be grateful. My agency is successful, my clients are happy, my team is growing. So why do I dread Monday mornings?" That's how Rebecca introduced herself during our first coaching session three years ago. On paper, she had everything a business owner could want. In reality, she felt like she was running someone else's company. The Success That Wasn't Sustainable Rebecca had built her marketing agency from nothing. Starting as a solo freelancer eight years earlier, she'd grown it to 25 employees and consistent seven-figure revenue. Industry awards lined her office walls. Client testimonials praised her "innovative approach" and "breakthrough strategies." But Rebecca was burning out. "I feel like I'm managing the business instead of leading it," she told me. "Every day is the same: client check-ins, project reviews, operational meetings, budget discussions. I'm good at it, but it's killing something inside me." This is what I call the "Golden Handcuffs Syndrome": your success becomes the very thing that traps you. The Energy Misalignment Crisis During our work together, Rebecca took the Work Energy Type Assessment I'd developed. Her results were immediately revealing: she was a pure Explorer energy type. Explorers are naturally energized by: Innovation and breakthrough thinking Variety and new challenges Creating something that's never been done before Working on cutting-edge projects Experimenting with fresh approaches But Rebecca's role had evolved into: Managing established client relationships Overseeing repetitive campaign execution Running routine operational meetings Following proven processes and workflows Maintaining systems rather than creating them She was spending 80% of her time in Builder-type work: systematic execution, process management, and maintenance activities. For an Explorer, this is energetic poison. The Ubuntu Moment The breakthrough came when Rebecca realized something profound: "I built this business to express my creativity and innovation. But somewhere along the way, I started running it like someone else's company." In Ubuntu philosophy, we understand that when we deny our authentic nature, we not only diminish ourselves; we rob our community of our unique gifts. Rebecca's team had hired on to work with an innovative creative leader. Instead, they were getting a frustrated operations manager. Her energy misalignment was affecting everyone around her. The Alignment Solution The solution wasn't selling the agency or starting over. It was redesigning her role to match her energy type. Here's what we implemented over eight months: Energy Alignment Changes: Hired a Builder-type COO (David) who thrived on systematic execution and operational excellence Rebecca focused on innovation work: developing new service offerings, exploring emerging marketing technologies, creating breakthrough strategies for select clients Redesigned client relationships: Rebecca now leads strategic visioning sessions and innovation workshops rather than routine check-ins Created partnership opportunities: building relationships with cutting-edge tech companies and industry innovators Speaking and thought leadership: sharing insights at industry conferences and through content creation The Results Were Remarkable: Personal energy transformation: Rebecca started looking forward to Monday mornings for the first time in years Business growth acceleration: agency revenue grew 60% through innovative service offerings Team…

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9 September 2025

Sénamé Publication

The 5 Work Energy Patterns That Determine Your Leadership Success

By Sénamé Agbossou Three years into my coaching practice, I started noticing something fascinating. Despite working with leaders across different industries, company sizes, and cultural backgrounds, the same patterns kept emerging. At first, I dismissed it as coincidence. Then the pattern became undeniable. The Discovery That Changed Everything It began with simple observation. I noticed that certain leaders thrived in chaos while others craved structure. Some were energized by people and relationships, others by problems and analysis. Some loved painting the big picture, others found energy in perfecting the details. Initially, I attributed these differences to personality or learned preferences. But over 25 years of working with hundreds of leaders across Europe and Africa, I discovered something more fundamental: there are exactly five work energy patterns that show up again and again. This wasn't random. These patterns were so consistent that I could predict what would energize or drain a leader within the first hour of working together. Beyond Personality: Understanding Energy Here's what makes work energy different from personality assessments: personality tells you how you prefer to interact with the world. Energy reveals what actually fuels or depletes you during the act of working. You might be introverted by personality but energized by collaborative work (Connector energy). You might be detail-oriented by nature but drained by systematic execution (Explorer energy trapped in Builder work). Your work energy patterns determine: What kind of projects light you up versus wear you down Which leadership challenges feel exciting versus overwhelming How you naturally approach problems and make decisions What work environments help you thrive versus survive Why certain roles feel effortless while others exhaust you The Five Work Energy Types After 25 years of pattern recognition, here are the five distinct work energy types I've identified: The Explorer Core Drive: Innovation and breakthrough thinkingNatural Energy Sources: Variety, experimentation, cutting-edge challenges, creating something newEnergy Drains: Routine maintenance, rigid processes, repetitive tasks, "the way we've always done it" Explorers are the visionaries and innovators. They see possibilities where others see problems. They thrive on the edge of what's known and proven. The Builder Core Drive: Creating systems and turning visions into realityNatural Energy Sources: Structured execution, process improvement, building lasting foundations, systematic progressEnergy Drains: Constant pivoting, unclear direction, chaotic environments, starting without finishing Builders are the architects of sustainable success. They love taking abstract ideas and creating concrete, workable systems that stand the test of time. The Connector Core Drive: Bringing people together for collaborative successNatural Energy Sources: Team dynamics, relationship building, inclusive environments, facilitating collaborationEnergy Drains: Working in isolation, interpersonal conflict, impersonal task focus, competitive environments Connectors are the heart of high-performing teams. They understand that we rise by lifting others, embodying the Ubuntu principle that we are all interconnected. The Driver Core Drive: Pushing through obstacles to deliver resultsNatural Energy Sources: Clear targets, competitive challenges, fast-paced execution, overcoming resistanceEnergy Drains: Analysis paralysis, consensus building, slow decision-making, ambiguous goals Drivers are the momentum creators. They cut through complexity to focus on what matters…

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9 September 2025

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