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Who Stole Your Enthusiasm?

By Christine Corelli
The "Sales-Service Excellence" Expert

NO! That is not a rhetorical question, not really. But you may be one of many people who are having difficulty in experiencing any enthusiasm lately. This is quite understandable, and is directly related to the trials of living and working in today's rapidly changing world and tough business environment.

With far too many people worried about their future and seeing the glass as half-empty, not half-full, it's no wonder so few are enthusiastic about anything. What to do? You cannot always control what happens around you, but you can learn from the wise. I believe Walter Chrysler said it best: "The real secret of success is ENTHUSIASM! Enthusiasts are fighters. They have fortitude. They have staying qualities. Enthusiasm is the bottom of all progress. With it, there is accomplishment. Without it, there are only alibis."

With this in mind, how about taking Chrysler's advice? Try putting a little enthusiasm into your work and your life? Perhaps you feel that with all the "weighty" issues that exasperate you, this might seem like a minor issue. Or, perhaps you may not even care. With a little effort, however, you may discover that you can make a difference for yourself and those around you by putting a little enthusiasm into those moment-to-moment choices you make in your daily interactions with others. For example: If you are in sales, you can't move forward unless you are believing—believing in yourself, your company, its products/services and its people. And, in making your customers feel that same belief. You can accomplish this by putting a touch of enthusiasm behind your words.

Put a little enthusiasm in your voice when speaking on the phone. Sound like you are happy to be serving customers and coworkers and it will come through loud and clear. It will also help your company move forward through difficult times. More importantly, it will make you a valuable asset to your company.

If you are a boss, keep this in mind: It's always up to the leader to keep employees motivated. You can accomplish this by remaining enthusiastic, displaying dynamic leadership, and by making your people feel they are working WITH you, and not FOR you. Focus on doing all you can to maintain high levels of enthusiasm in your company. Keep this in mind: As a leader, all eyes are on you. You can never let down your guard when it comes to your attitude and your level of enthusiasm. And if you are a great leader, people will perform at their highest levels with enthusiasm to deliver for YOU.

The question you must ask yourself today and every day is: Would you work for YOU?

There are many reasons a little enthusiasm can go a long way. Recently, I had a conversation with a person who made this point poignantly clear. He said, "Christine, I work for a Fortune 50 company. Like many companies, we're experiencing problems from fierce competition and the still unstable economy. We aren't laying anyone off yet, but our revenue is not what our projections were. We've been told that there will be no pay raises for next year so the company can restructure and invest in new equipment.

"Deeply disappointed, I talked with my boss, reminding her of the excellent feedback I had received from the customers I serviced, the extra projects I had volunteered for, and the accolades I had received from other managers. That's when the harsh reality hit me. My boss told me that nearly everyone in the department was doing excellent work and that we had a team made up of exceptional workers.

"Then, she went on to say that although my hard work is appreciated, that I've complained about recent executive decisions, and lack the enthusiasm for the restructuring we're putting into place. She said this has made my coworkers apprehensive. So here I am, an employee with a proven track record of quality work who finds himself at the bottom of the pack simply because of my enthusiasm level."

That's right, not only your job performance, but your attitude will be the criteria on how people judge you. If your company is restructuring and you aren't sure whether the decisions will benefit the organization, state your case, but also make it clear that you will roll up your sleeves and do all you can to make it work! Remember, Your executives and manager must make tough decisions to maintain market share and keep the company moving forward. When your company makes changes that create job stress and cause uncertainty, these are not within your realm of control. It's far better to say, "What will be will be. And, I'm not sure this is going to work, but let's roll up our sleeves and do our best to make it work!"

Your company needs people who come to work each day ready to serve customers and each other. They need people who have a positive attitude. If that doesn't hit home, then do it for yourself --put your heart and soul into your work for your own integrity and to set an example for others to follow. Show initiative beyond your job description. Keep in mind: While you don't like hearing it, there are still many highly qualified and dedicated people who are unemployed and would be happy to have your job. Sorry, but that's the cold hard truth.

So, who stole YOUR enthusiasm? For my friend, it was learning he would not get a raise. How about you? Is it your demanding boss? Is it those tight-fisted clients? Is it the economy? Is it worry about what will happen with social-security? Is it your grumpy coworker? Your lazy teenager? The stock market? The war in Iraq? While these are all realistic sources of agitation, and good reason for concern, and regardless of whether your reasons are micro or macro in nature, you need to look at your situation critically and ask yourself, "What do I gain from losing my enthusiasm?" The answer is "nothing."

You may wish to consider reframing your thinking to accept that there will always be reasons to remain negative and pessimistic, but that those who have the ability to move forward through good times and bad, tend to refrain from cynical thoughts. They also put enthusiasm in what they do, even when they don't FEEL like it!

Keep in mind, there are many people today who are simply grateful they are still employed and that they still have the privilege of living in the greatest and freest country in the world. Our country is not perfect, and neither is our government. But we still need to be grateful that we live here. Trust me on this-I've been to fourteen countries. This is where I want to live. You should too.

I'm reminded of another quote in addition to Walter Chrysler's. "One person has enthusiasm for 30 minutes, another for 30 days, but it is the person who has it for 30 years who makes a success of his or her life." And don't worry that you need to trade in your realism to become enthusiastic. Realism is the content of what happens. Enthusiasm is your attitude about that content.

Think back to my high-performing friend. Now that he's realistic about his chances of being rewarded in a high-performing work group, his future will depend on the attitude he next adopts. Enthusiastic or apathetic? No-brainer, right?

So, can you approach your work and your life with enthusiasm, or will you be working on your alibis, your excuses? It's your decision, and yours alone. Life is short, make the best of it. Deliver your best too.

©2005 Christine Corelli & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved.