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 energized by bringing people together and creating environments where everyone can thrive. They naturally sense what others need and have an intuitive understanding of team dynamics. Their Ubuntu mindset (truly believing that “we are because I am”), makes them the emotional infrastructure of high-performing teams.
Natural strengths: Empathy, collaboration, purpose-driven leadership, conflict resolution
Energy sources: Meaningful relationships, inclusive environments, shared purpose
Watch out for: Avoiding difficult conversations, carrying others’ emotional burdens
Connector Insight: This embodies Ubuntu beautifully. Connectors intuitively understand that we rise by lifting others. Their leadership creates space for everyone to contribute their best.
THE DRIVER: “I push through obstacles and deliver results under pressure”
Core Drive: Achievement and momentum
Drivers are fueled by results, challenge, and the satisfaction of exceeding expectations. They see what needs to happen and make it happen, often before others have finished discussing whether it’s a good idea. Their energy creates momentum that can transform entire organizations.
Natural strengths: Action orientation, decisiveness, high standards, breakthrough leadership
Energy sources: Clear goals, high-pressure execution, visible results
Watch out for: Burning out teams with intensity, skipping relationship-building steps
Driver Insight: Drivers often feel guilty about their urgency and directness. But in a world that often moves too slowly, their ability to create momentum is invaluable.
THE SENSEMAKER: “I find patterns and provide strategic clarity to complex situations”
Core Drive: Understanding and insight
Sensemakers bring clarity to complexity. They see patterns others miss, ask questions that uncover root causes, and provide the strategic perspective that helps teams navigate uncertainty. In our Ubuntu framework, they’re the ones who help everyone understand how the pieces fit together.
Natural strengths: Strategic thinking, deep analysis, pattern recognition, long-term vision
Energy sources: Complex problem-solving, advisory roles, meaningful analysis
Watch out for: Analysis paralysis, feeling undervalued in fast-paced environments
Sensemaker Insight: In our fast-paced world, Sensemakers often feel “too slow” or “overthinking.” But their ability to see what others miss prevents costly mistakes and identifies breakthrough opportunities.
Why This Framework Changes Everything
Here’s what I’ve learned from working with hundreds of leaders: when you understand your Work Energy Type, three things happen immediately:
- You stop fighting your nature. Instead of trying to be someone you’re not, you start optimizing who you already are.
- You make better role decisions. Whether you’re choosing projects, accepting promotions, or building your business, you have a lens for what will energize versus drain you.
- You build stronger teams. You begin to see your colleagues not as people who work differently than you, but as people with complementary energy types that can create something powerful together.
This isn’t about limiting people or creating rigid categories. It’s about recognizing that just as a jazz ensemble needs different instruments to create beautiful music, high-performing teams need different energy types to achieve extraordinary results.
The Interconnection Principle
What makes this framework particularly powerful is understanding that these types aren’t meant to work in isolation. The Ubuntu philosophy teaches us that our individual gifts are only fully realized in relationship with others.
An Explorer’s breakthrough thinking becomes actionable when paired with a Builder’s systematic execution. A Driver’s momentum is sustainable when balanced by a Sensemaker’s strategic perspective. A Connector’s collaborative environment allows all types to contribute their best work.
What’s Next
Over the next few posts, I’ll dive deeper into each type, sharing real client stories and practical strategies for maximizing your natural energy. But here’s what I want you to do right now:
Look at your current role and recent projects. Which of these five patterns feels most natural to you? When are you most energized at work? When do you feel like you’re swimming upstream?
I’m also putting the finishing touches on an assessment that will help you identify your primary Work Energy Type. It’s designed to give you practical insights you can apply immediately—no complicated personality theory, just clear guidance on how to align your work with your natural energy.
Engagement Questions
- Which of the five Work Energy Types resonates most strongly with you?
- Have you ever felt like you were operating outside your natural energy pattern? What was that experience like?
- Looking at your current team, can you identify the different energy types represented?
Tag someone who embodies each type and let’s start recognizing and appreciating the diverse ways people bring energy to their work.
