Scott,
What a great visual concept to wrap our heads around!  I'm not sure most leaders have stopped to consider that they might actually be making things worse (negative ion) if they aren't focused, intentional and encouraging, and just as interested in building the team member as I am completing the project.

One more math note. Your formula nails it:
Et = E1 +/- E2 – E3

But consider this...

Et = ((E1 +E1)3 +/- E2) – E3

I couldn't get the superscript to work on this note, but the observation I'm making is that when more than one team member comes together, they synergy of that effort exponentially increases, and can minimize the overall effects a negative leader and the forces that drain energy from the organization.

That's why I think what you're saying is so critical!  When we see the math of relationships, we can overcome the obstacles in front of us!

Thanks for the encouragement!