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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The 3 PM Energy Crisis That’s Crushing High-Performing Leaders

By Sénamé Agbossou After 25 years of coaching business owners and executives across Europe and Africa, I've witnessed a troubling pattern that affects even the most successful leaders: the 3 PM energy crash. It's not about caffeine withdrawal or lunch choices. It's something much deeper. The Hidden Struggle of High Performers Last month, I sat across from Elena, a brilliant CEO who had built three successful companies over the past decade. Her latest venture was thriving: revenue growing 40% year-over-year, team of 85 people, industry recognition flowing in. But Elena looked exhausted. "I love what I do," she told me, "but by mid-afternoon, I feel like I'm running on empty. I used to think I just needed better time management or maybe more delegation. But I've tried everything." Elena's story isn't unique. In fact, it's become the norm among the leaders I work with. They're achieving external success while battling internal energy depletion. The Real Problem: Energy Misalignment Here's what I've discovered after working with hundreds of leaders: Your energy isn't broken. You're just using it wrong. Think of it like this: Elena is what I call an "Explorer" energy type: someone naturally energized by innovation, breakthrough thinking, and pioneering new approaches. But as her companies grew, she found herself spending 80% of her time in detailed operational oversight, systematic process management, and routine decision-making. It's like asking a race car to pull a plow. Both are powerful machines, but they're designed for completely different purposes. The Ubuntu Connection In the Ubuntu philosophy, we understand that "I am because we are." Our individual energy affects the collective energy of our teams and organizations. When leaders operate against their natural energy patterns, it doesn't just drain them; it creates ripple effects throughout their entire organization. Teams start to mirror their leader's energy depletion. Innovation stagnates. Decision-making becomes sluggish. The very success that leaders have built becomes the source of their exhaustion. What I've Learned About Energy Patterns Over 25 years, I've identified that work energy follows predictable patterns. The leaders who feel alive at 5 PM while others are burnt out? They've discovered something crucial: their natural work energy pattern and designed their role around it. These leaders understand that: Energy alignment isn't selfish, it’s strategic Sustainable high performance requires working with your nature, not against it When you operate in your energy zone, you elevate everyone around you Common Energy Drains (And What They Reveal) Pay attention to what consistently drains your energy at work: Endless meetings that go nowhere might indicate you're an Explorer type craving innovation over routine discussion. Detailed administrative tasks could signal you're a Driver type built for momentum, not maintenance. Working in isolation for extended periods might mean you're a Connector type who needs collaborative energy. Constant pressure for quick decisions could indicate you're a Sensemaker type who needs time for deep analysis. Surface-level work without deeper meaning might reveal you're wired for strategic thinking and long-term impact. The Path Forward The solution isn't working…

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