Since March 2003, the Human Performance Institute, Orlando, FL, has sponsored the Full Engagement Self Profile , an online survey that helps individuals assess how well they are managing life energy for performance and productivity. Nearly 100,000 thousand people have completed the core questionnaire free of charge, resulting in an unprecedented look at the practices and concerns of adults who seek to understand why their energy is depleted and what they can do about it. Performance Programs hosts the survey and provides data analysis.
The survey is based on the bestselling 2003 book, The Power of Full Engagement, coauthored by our associate, Dr. Jim Loehr. He is also author of the 2007 book, The Power of Story.
Only six percent of all survey respondents achieve what Dr. Loehr terms “full engagement,” a balanced state of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual energy. Furthermore, he classifies 20 percent as “toxically disengaged,” and about 45 percent as “disengaged.”
"These people are running dangerously low on fuel,” he explains. “They have a personal energy crisis that undermines their participation in their workplaces and in society.” The survey results show that caring for oneself physically and spiritually make an enormous difference in all areas of life. “When people add physical fitness, rest and recovery to their lives, they report much lower stress, greater job satisfaction, and higher effectiveness,” says Dr. Loehr. “Yet the overwhelming number of comments people leave on these surveys tell us they feel blocked from the very practices that would support their efforts at work, at home, and in the community.”
Toxically disengaged people are characterized by low scores on the physical, emotional, and mental categories, but especially on the spiritual dimension. “They’re telling us their lives lack vision and purpose, their emotions are stunted, they never feel fully rested, and they don’t feel they have the resources to improve their lot. In many cases, they have simply given up,” says Loehr.
On the other end of the scale, people who report high levels of engagement invest in physical fitness, get more sleep and recovery time, and have high scores on the spiritual dimension. “These people report self-confidence and vision,” Loehr concludes. “One of the areas where they really exceed the average is in their ritual of taking some reflective time each day.” The most engaged group scores 33 percent higher than the average respondent on the following statement: ‘I set aside time every day to link my activities to my personal or professional mission.’” (There are an additional six statements where the most engaged score over 30 percent higher than the norm. All are statistically significant beyond the 99 percent confidence level.)
The core Full Engagement questionnaire and a short personalized report are free of charge. Visitors can receive an in-depth report by upgrading to the full energy management questionnaire at the completion of the trial for $49. To learn more about Energy for Performance Training, visit the Human Performance Institute.
