Find Enthusiasm in Your Work
“Culture is everything. It’s the foundation for success.”
- Pete Carroll
I remember being asked to read to my son's preschool class. I would quietly enter the back of the classroom and watch as the “Ring Master” (the teacher) used her voice, pictures, or questions to pique the children’s enthusiasm. All of the children were locked in. They had smiles and wide eyes as the teacher taught the day's lesson.
What happened to this type of environment? Why does education have to change from having fun to dried-out boring lectures?
Take it one more step: why can’t your workplace be FUN?
What has happened is that you go to work in a restrictive “orderly” office where enthusiasm can often feel like an elusive treasure. The point that is being missed is that this very spark of passion (enthusiasm) fuels innovation, drives productivity, and brings forth a culture of learning.
But how do we harness this enthusiasm?
It's crucial to understand that the culture of any workspace is not a random occurrence, but a result of effective leadership. It's about creating an environment where shared passions flourish, and this is a responsibility that lies in the hands of every leader.
The Culture Starts at the Top
Picture walking into a workplace filled with energy. Employees greet each other with genuine smiles, and ideas bounce off walls like basketballs on a court. This isn’t just a dream—it's the result of visionary leadership. Leaders who are enthusiastic about their work have a profound impact, inspiring those around them to embrace their passions.
This was my experience working on Pete Carroll’s staff at USC and in Seattle. Most meetings started with a contest of some sort. There may be a free-throw shooting contest pitting an offensive player against a defensive player or a coach against a player, and when we had guest speakers come in, they would invariably be put head-to-head against one of the team members.
Coach Carroll brought in guest speakers throughout the offseason program and during the year to speak to the team. NBA legend Bill Russell, author Angela Duckworth, Navy Seal Clint Bruce, country music artist Kenny Chesney, and dozens more would come to talk to the team to give their perspective of what it took to get to the top of their “game.”
During a typical week, each day, a coach would give a speech—not an X & O football-specific talk, but an authentic performance. Meetings became “must-see” events for people who worked in the building, not primarily with the team. They would line the walls in the team meeting room to catch the show of the day. Meetings were never dull.
How did this happen? The head coach, the “Ring Master,” made sure each of his talks was a performance. He is a high-energy guy, but he never took an opportunity to speak with the team for granted.
I know what you’re thinking, “I’m not some trained seal going out to ‘perform’ in a meeting; there isn’t enough time in the day for that kind of tomfoolery.” Why not?
All too often, an organization's leadership asks employees to give everything to the company, but there is no reciprocation from the management side.
You are the Alpha and the Omega of your organization’s culture. If you want to motivate your employees to be great by piling loads of work and insults on them, you will drive the great ones away. There must be a trade-off. There has to be a benefit to staying in this space. Hint: It’s not about pay.
This type of leadership does not necessarily have to come from the very top. Managers and Team Leaders can bring enthusiasm into their meetings and workspaces. Why wouldn’t you want your people to enjoy coming to work? If top-quality work is being done, why limit your people's creativity?
Creating a Dynamic Learning Environment
Let’s go back to that preschool class. Why were the kids so happy? They were learning new ideas and exciting processes. They were doing it as a group. Those who figured it out quicker than some of the others became helpers, teaching their classmates by using their child's language. I watched a veteran offensive lineman break down a complicated concept that had been presented by the coach in a meeting room in a matter of seconds because the two linemen spoke the same “language.”
Enthusiasm thrives in environments that promote growth and learning. A dynamic learning environment encourages curiosity and experimentation, a place where failure is seen as part of the process rather than a setback. Let me ask you, where do you want to see mistakes, in a meeting room or after the product has hit the market? I know that is a no-brainer, but if you don’t have an enthusiastic learning environment where people are asking hard questions and the presenter is not taking negative questions personally, then things become individualized. Egos get involved, and territorial behaviors replace enthusiasm.
When employees are constantly taught HOW to do new tasks while having the WHY they are being done this way, they are given an enormous gift. They don’t just do the job to get the job done; they understand how what they do is vital for the completion of the project.
An enthusiastic, collaborative culture can transform mundane meetings into engaging discussions filled with laughter and inspiration—proof that everyone benefits when individuals share knowledge rooted in their passions. The team shares wins, and setbacks are rooted out during the building phase rather than in front of the whole world.
The Power of Shared Passion
At its core, enthusiasm is contagious—it spreads like wildfire among teams united by common goals and values. When leaders cultivate an atmosphere centered around shared passions, they create a team atmosphere – the “US against the world” mindset – built on collaboration rather than competition.
My mind goes back to the road trips we would take to play an opponent on their home field, such as South Bend, Indiana, and playing in front of 77,000 Irish fans. We only had each other as we crowded into the tiny locker room. The family environment that we had helped us win many hard-fought games.
That unity didn’t happen on the day we arrived at the stadium; it had been built throughout the offseason and into the regular season. When we walked from the buses to the locker room, surrounded by the assembled Fighting Irish fans, our enthusiasm to win the contest only intensified.
The bond was set because the team members had the opportunity to watch each other grow and become masters of their craft through good practices and bad practices.
By sharing their passions openly within the team setting, they created connections that enhanced personal relationships and brought forth the best that each person on that team could put on the field. The passion and love for the game, for each other, and for the organization came out every time we played.
The success we enjoyed could only have been realized because the players' enthusiasm for being part of the team coursed through the entire organization and in everything they did. We would prepare at the highest level so we could practice at the highest level so we could perform at the highest level, all with great passion and enthusiasm.
Embrace Enthusiasm Through Leadership
The journey toward transfusing enthusiasm at work begins with leaders willing to invest time in creating supportive environments where passion flourishes. By embracing learning opportunities and encouraging shared interests among employees, organizations can ignite an enduring spirit of excitement that moves both individuals and teams toward success.
Our enthusiasm at the college level (USC) was transported to the NFL (Seattle Seahawks), bringing about the same results—continued success. This proves that this was not a “one-off occurrence. When individuals enjoyed coming to work, were tuned into meetings, shared the learning experiences that were given each day, and had a role in helping each individual become the contributor that they were meant to be.
When you look at your workplace and your role within your organization today, how will you choose to ignite passion? Will you bring back the enthusiasm that you had as a child? How will you inspire those around you? Take the reins and move forward on this journey toward creating an energized workplace fueled by enthusiasm!
Have an amazing day!
