Your presence doesn’t whisper – it thunders in silence. Before a word is uttered, your energy enters the room, shaping outcomes far before any action is taken. Invisible yet invincible.

Leadership development often overlooks the influence of energy, despite its undeniable reach and impact. To underestimate energy in the workplace as an abstract concept is to gamble with the fundamental forces that shape our reality. Turn a blind eye to gravity or the surge of ocean tides, and you will be forced to admit that invisibility does not diminish power.

It’s an open secret that our subconscious is attuned to the emotional climate created by our peers. Have you considered, though, the full extent of how your own attitude impacts those around you?

Studies on workplace dynamics have shown that being near a high performer can spark a remarkable 15 percent increase in one’s own productivity, affecting both quality and speed. Such positive spillover, enhancing the performance of those who may not perform as well, is generally observed within a month.

Yet, there’s a stark contrast when the influence is negative. Being in close quarters with a low performer can lead to a 30 percent drop in productivity. The scale of negativity’s impact is disproportionately larger and more intense: the presence of a toxic individual drastically raise your risk of falling into the same negativity, and this shift happens almost instantaneously upon their arrival.

While the positive impact tends to be contained within several meters, the negative effects of toxic individuals can extend across entire workspaces. Consequently, the financial cost of a toxic worker far outweighs the benefits brought by a star performer.

But why is negative spillover so overpowering compared to the positive? It boils down to emotional magnitude; the sting of a loss resonates more deeply than the joy of an equivalent fleeing gain. The distress of losing a $50 bill, for example, tends to overshadow the pleasure of finding one.

Emotional contagion extends beyond individual interactions, affecting groups too. A single person can drag a whole team down, just as a leader’s poor attitude can ripple through a company, creating a toxic work environment. Conversely, a conscious choice to radiate positive energy can vastly improve an environment, more than we might expect.

This realization is a potent wake-up call, as unsettling as it is empowering. The energy lacking or the negative energy you critique in others could be radiating from you. Before rushing to judge your boss’s leadership or to pinpoint the shortcomings of your peers, take a moment and consider the possibility that you may (also) be the one spreading the gloom.

But with this realization comes power – the sheer, undeniable capacity to shift the atmosphere. This power is yours, unequivocally.

Take ownership. Claim it. Lead the charge.