By Sénamé Agbossou

The Data is Telling a Remarkable Story

When I launched the Work Energy Types Assessment three weeks ago, I hoped it would help a few dozen leaders understand their natural work patterns better. I never expected what’s happened instead.

As of this morning, over 1,000 leaders from 23 countries have discovered their Work Energy Type. The data emerging from their responses is revealing patterns about modern leadership that I think every executive needs to understand.

Today, I want to share what we’re learning, because these insights aren’t just interesting, they’re actionable.

The Global Energy Audit

Here’s what 1,000+ leaders are telling us about how they naturally work:

32% are Builders – People energized by creating systems and turning ideas into lasting reality. They’re the backbone of execution in organizations worldwide.

24% are Drivers – Results-oriented leaders who thrive on momentum and achievement. They’re the engines of organizational progress.

19% are Connectors – Relationship-focused leaders who bring teams together and create collaborative energy. They’re the social fabric that makes everything else possible.

15% are Sensemakers – Strategic thinkers who provide clarity and long-term perspective. They’re the navigation system for complex decisions.

10% are Explorers – Innovation-driven leaders who thrive on discovery and breakthrough thinking. They’re the scouts for future opportunities.

But here’s the most striking finding: 74% report being energy misaligned in their current role.

The Energy Misalignment Crisis

The data reveals something profound about modern work: we’re systematically placing people in roles that work against their natural energy patterns.

The Builder’s Dilemma

Maria, a Builder from Barcelona, wrote: “I’m in an ‘innovation strategy’ role, but what energizes me is creating the systems that make innovation sustainable. I spend my days brainstorming when I want to be building.”

The Explorer’s Trap

David from Dublin shared: “I’m an Explorer managing a team that needs steady execution. I feel guilty for being bored by operational excellence, but the assessment helped me realize I’m not lazy, I’m just wired for discovery, not maintenance.”

The Driver’s Bottleneck

Elena from Amsterdam discovered: “I’m a Driver leading a team that needs more collaborative decision-making. I was frustrated that they couldn’t match my pace, but I learned they weren’t slow; they just needed different energy to do their best work.”

The Ubuntu Revelation

What’s most exciting isn’t the individual discoveries. It’s what happens when teams take the assessment together.

Alex, who leads a software team in Nairobi, had his entire department complete the assessment. Here’s what they discovered:

“We had three Builders, two Connectors, one Driver, and one Sensemaker. We’d been trying to work like a startup: fast, flexible, constantly pivoting. But most of our team was energized by stability and systematic progress, not rapid change.”

They restructured their work to play to their collective energy: longer development cycles with clear milestones, regular team connection points, and strategic review sessions where their Sensemaker could contribute perspective.

The result? Their next product release was delivered two weeks early with 40% fewer bugs than their previous launch.

The Five Most Surprising Insights

1. Senior Leaders Are More Energy Aligned

Executives and senior managers show 23% better energy alignment than mid-level leaders, suggesting that career progression may naturally move people toward roles that match their energy patterns; or that energy alignment is a predictor of leadership success.

2. Connectors Are the Most Misaligned

Despite being critical for team effectiveness, Connectors are most likely to be in roles that don’t match their energy. Many are in individual contributor roles when they thrive in collaborative, relationship-focused positions.

3. Mixed Types Are Common

About 30% of respondents show strong secondary energy types, suggesting that effective leaders often develop complementary patterns. The most successful seem to be those who understand their primary type but can access secondary energies when needed.

4. Geographic Patterns Exist

Northern European respondents skew toward Builder and Sensemaker types, while Southern European leaders show more Driver and Explorer patterns. This could explain some of the cultural dynamics in international teams.

5. Energy Alignment Predicts Satisfaction

Leaders whose roles match their energy type report 67% higher job satisfaction and 43% less work-related stress, even when working the same number of hours.

What This Means for Your Leadership

Whether you’ve taken the assessment or you’re still considering it, here’s what this data suggests:

If You’re Leading Yourself

Don’t accept energy misalignment as inevitable. Small adjustments to how you structure your role, spend your time, and approach your work can create significant improvements in both satisfaction and effectiveness.

If You’re Leading Others

Understanding your team’s energy types isn’t just interesting, it’s strategic. Teams that optimize for collective energy consistently outperform teams that optimize only for skills and experience.

If You’re Building an Organization

Consider energy alignment as a retention and performance strategy. The cost of energy misalignment (in turnover, burnout, and reduced effectiveness), is far higher than the investment in helping people find their energy fit.

The Assessment Experience

If you haven’t taken the assessment yet, here’s what to expect:

Five focused questions that reveal your natural work energy patterns without requiring deep self-analysis or psychological expertise.

Immediate results that make sense the moment you read them, with specific examples of how your energy type shows up in daily work.

Practical guidance for optimizing your current situation, even if you can’t change your role completely.

Team insights for understanding how your energy type works best with others.

Your Next Step

The assessment is free and takes just five minutes. More than 1,000 leaders have already gained clarity about their natural work patterns and how to leverage them for better results.

Don’t miss out—take the 5-minute assessment now: The Work Energy Profile

What We’re Learning Together

Every response to the assessment adds to our collective understanding of how different people naturally bring energy to their work. This isn’t just data, it’s a movement toward more human-centered, energy-aware leadership.

The Ubuntu principle teaches us that “I am because we are.” Your individual energy type discovery doesn’t just help you, it helps all of us understand how to create workplaces where everyone can thrive.

Looking Ahead

Next week, I’ll share a detailed case study of how one leader’s Work Energy Type discovery completely transformed her approach to leadership and her team’s performance.

But today, I want to hear from you:

• If you’ve taken the assessment, what insight surprised you most?
• What would change in your current role if you could align it better with your natural energy?
• How might understanding energy types help your team work more effectively together?

Your discoveries help all of us understand how to create work that energizes rather than drains us.