Week 11

Welcome back to The HayZ Minute. Each week, I share lessons designed to help us lead with more clarity, consistency, and intention. This week’s focus is something we often underestimate but feel immediately: energy.

Step into a room, and you can sense it right away. Sometimes the energy is buzzing with optimism and focus. Other times it feels heavy, drained, or tense. What makes the difference? More often than not, it’s the energy of just one person.

Energy is contagious. You are either lifting the room or draining it — there is rarely a neutral middle ground.

I see this clearly in my role at the VA. Each morning, I meet with section chiefs and managers before our more 350 staff members begin their day. On tougher mornings — when schedules are overloaded, resources are stretched thin, or unexpected challenges surface — the team’s energy dips quickly. If I walk into the room carrying stress or frustration, the entire space tightens. Conversations shorten. Creativity stalls.

But when I walk in steady, focused, and grounded, the room shifts. Shoulders straighten. Voices lift. The same problems still exist, but they feel more manageable. The same people, facing the same challenges, show up differently. My energy sets the tone.

That experience reinforces an important truth: you carry influence into every space you enter. People read your presence before they process your words. Your tone, posture, and pace communicate just as much as what you say.

Here are three simple ways to reset your energy before entering a room:

Pause

Take one slow breath and clear your mental clutter.

Smile

A genuine smile relaxes your nervous system and signals openness to others.

Set an Intention

Ask yourself: What do I want people to feel after I leave this room?

This isn’t about fake positivity or pretending everything is fine. It’s about choosing responsibility. The energy you bring multiplies.

As a DJ, I watch one upbeat song turn a hesitant crowd into a packed dance floor. In leadership, I see one calm word of encouragement transform a tense meeting into a productive one. Small shifts create big ripple effects.

Weekly Quote:
“Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.” — Anthony J. D’Angelo

👉 Question of the Week

What room in your life — at work, at home, or in your community — needs better energy right now?

This week, choose one space and decide to be the most intentional presence in it. Don’t announce it. Just let your energy do the work. Notice how people respond. Watch how the room shifts.

Because energy is never neutral. It’s either lifting or draining. And the best leaders, teammates, and friends are the ones who choose to lift.

 One reset at a time,
HayZ