Mapping and managing productive organizational energy over time: The Energy Pattern Explorer tool

• Published in: Long range planning 2022-12, Vol.55 (6), p.102213, Article 102213
• Main Authors: Vogel, Bernd, Raes, Anneloes M.L., Bruch, Heike
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Collective human resources; Energy configurations and trajectories; Energy leadership; Energy pattern explorer strategy tool; Productive organizational energy
• ISSN: 0024-6301; 1873-1872
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lrp.2022.102213

To strategically manage the deployment of collective human resources toward performance, managers must recognize, interpret, and align the volatile resources of productive organizational energy. Despite relevant prior work, research and practice still lack a comprehensive approach toward analyzing and managing energy patterns over time. We develop a framework for temporal configurations and prototypical trajectories of productive organizational energy. We then introduce the ‘Energy Pattern Explorer’ as a strategy tool to: (1) identify and predict actual patterns of productive organizational energy in organizations, and (2) suggest energy leadership activities specific to current and anticipated changes and patterns of productive organizational energy. We provide examples of how managers can use this tool and conclude with suggestions for research and practice. •A comprehensive approach to understand, analyze, and manage patterns of productive organizational energy over time.•A framework of short-term configurations and long-term prototypical trajectories of productive organizational energy.•Introduction and guidance for application of the ‘Energy Pattern Explorer’ tool.•Identification and prediction of actual patterns of productive organizational energy in organizations.•Energy leadership activities that address current and anticipated patterns of energy and allow its sustained evolution.