What 500+ Leaders Are Teaching Us About Energy Alignment Three weeks ago, I launched the Work Energy Types Assessment, and the response has been beyond anything I expected. Over 500 leaders from across Europe and beyond have discovered their Work Energy Type, and the insights emerging from their results are reshaping how I think about leadership development and team effectiveness. Today, I want to share what we're learning, and why these discoveries matter for every leader navigating today's complex work environment. The Surprising Patterns Discovery #1: Most Leaders Are Energy Misaligned 68% of assessment takers reported that their current role requires them to operate outside their primary energy type for more than half their time. Edith, a COO from London, captured this perfectly: "I took the quiz and discovered I'm a Connector, but 80% of my role is pure execution and problem-solving. No wonder I feel drained even though I love the company." This isn't about being in the wrong job, it’s about understanding how to structure your role to maximize your natural energy while still meeting organizational needs. Discovery #2: The Ubuntu Effect is Real Teams that take the assessment together report immediate improvements in collaboration. When everyone understands not just their own energy type but their colleagues' types as well, friction decreases and productivity increases. James, who leads a product team in Berlin, shared: "We had one Explorer, two Builders, one Connector, and one Sensemaker. Before the assessment, our Explorer felt stifled and our Sensemaker felt rushed. Now we structure our sprints to include innovation time for the Explorer and strategic review time for the Sensemaker. Our output has increased 30% because everyone's contributing from their energy zone." Discovery #3: Context Changes Everything Several leaders discovered that their energy type manifests differently in different contexts. Maria, a startup founder from Brussels, explained: "I'm a Driver when it comes to business development, but I'm definitely a Sensemaker when it comes to product strategy. Understanding this helps me structure my days better." This reinforces the Ubuntu principle that our energy doesn't exist in isolation—it flows in relationship with our environment, our colleagues, and our purpose. The Most Powerful Insights "I Finally Understand Why Certain Projects Drain Me" Alex, a marketing director, discovered he was a primary Connector with Explorer tendencies. "I always thought I was bad at execution-heavy work. Turns out, I just need more collaboration and creative variety built into the execution phase." "My Team Makes So Much More Sense Now" Roxane, the Driver leader we featured in a previous post, had her entire team take the assessment. "I was trying to manage everyone like they were Drivers. Once I understood that Rebecca is a Sensemaker who needs processing time, and David is a Builder who needs clear systems, everything changed. I'm still driving results, but now I'm doing it in a way that brings out everyone's best energy." "I Stopped Trying to Fix My 'Weaknesses'" Raphael, our Sensemaker from last week's post, shared: "For years, I tried to…