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 thinking
Natural Energy Sources: Variety, experimentation, cutting-edge challenges, creating something new
Energy 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 reality
Natural Energy Sources: Structured execution, process improvement, building lasting foundations, systematic progress
Energy 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 success
Natural Energy Sources: Team dynamics, relationship building, inclusive environments, facilitating collaboration
Energy 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 results
Natural Energy Sources: Clear targets, competitive challenges, fast-paced execution, overcoming resistance
Energy Drains: Analysis paralysis, consensus building, slow decision-making, ambiguous goals
Drivers are the momentum creators. They cut through complexity to focus on what matters most: getting things done and achieving breakthrough results.
The Sensemaker
Core Drive: Finding patterns and providing strategic clarity
Natural Energy Sources: Deep analysis, long-term planning, understanding root causes, strategic thinking
Energy Drains: Surface-level work, rushed decisions, constant interruptions, short-term focus
Sensemakers are the strategic minds who see what others miss. They bring wisdom and long-term perspective to complex situations.
The Ubuntu Wisdom in Energy Diversity
What’s beautiful about these five types is how they complement each other. In Ubuntu philosophy, we understand that our individual gifts serve the collective good. Each energy type brings something essential:
- Explorers pioneer new possibilities for all
- Builders create foundations that support everyone
- Connectors ensure no one is left behind
- Drivers create momentum that benefits the whole
- Sensemakers provide wisdom that guides us all
The most successful leaders I’ve worked with aren’t trying to be all five types. They’ve learned to honor their natural pattern while building teams with complementary energies.
Recognition Moments
As you read these descriptions, you probably felt a stronger resonance with one or two types. That recognition is your energy calling to you. It’s your inner wisdom saying, “This is how you’re designed to work.”
But here’s what’s crucial: there’s no hierarchy among these types. Each one is essential for organizational success. The question isn’t which type is better; it’s which type are you, and how can you honor that in your leadership approach?
The Alignment Journey Begins
In my next post, I’ll share the story of Rebecca, an Explorer who built a successful marketing agency but was miserable until she discovered why certain work energized her while other tasks, even successful ones, left her drained.
Her story illustrates a crucial truth: success without energy alignment is ultimately unsustainable. But when you align with your natural patterns, both success and fulfillment become possible.
Which energy type resonates most strongly with you?
