Let Loose Your Enthusiasm

A lack of enthusiasm led to the absolute hardest time I had filling a role on my team.

It took nine months and we went through three full rounds of posting the position, screening candidates, going through first, second and third round interviews only to decide – twice – that our final candidates just weren’t what we were after and so we started over.

With each do-over, we tweaked the job description, revisited our research, had objective outsiders read what we wrote up all in an effort to do a better job of finding Ms. or Mr. Right. What was crazy was that this wasn’t a particularly senior or specialized role. Like any job, it did require certain skills but they weren’t so uncommon that I ever thought we’d have as hard a time finding that right person.

It started to feel like Bill Murray’s “Groundhog Day.” Each time, we would get a flood of resumes and then work our way down to a two or three finalists. On paper, they all looked good. They had applicable experience and/or transferable skills. In the interviews, they did well. But I ended up saying “no” to each and every one of them and then starting over because I somehow knew that it wasn’t going to work.

It took time and some distance before I finally realized why. Every one of them had failed to convey any sense of passion or excitement about joining our team. The sense I got from them was that this was just a job. Something mildly tolerable that would fill their daylight hours of their workweek and earn them a paycheck. But that just wasn’t good enough.

Think about it. If are around people who are excited to be there, it can be infectious… especially if you want to be there too. True, many of us fall into that “work is work” mindset… but what if we felt more? What if you and the people around you are so pumped to be doing what you’re doing that you couldn’t wait to get to the office most mornings? Wouldn’t that be amazing? Think what we could then accomplish.

And it starts with each of us. With our first meeting with our potential employers and then it’s how we frame our mindset every day thereafter.

When you’re interviewing, be honest with yourself and with your potential employer; if the position doesn’t excite you, save everyone – and most of all yourself – the headache and keep looking. But if it looks good, then let that show through when you’re interviewing. It can only help your chances of landing the job.

Then, once you’re in the position, keep bringing that enthusiasm. That stokes your fires of creativity, of engagement and even of fun. And, should it ever start to wane, then spend time figuring out what’s going on. Are you getting bored? Are your duties changing and less interesting? Is something outside of work weighing on your mind? Whatever is happening, you need to always be observant and engaged in how you’re feeling and do whatever you can to keep your passion going. It makes for a better workplace for all, and especially for you.

I’ve worked with thousands of people across my career and I truly liked almost all of them. But the ones I wanted to be around tended to all have that one thing in common – they were excited to be there and it showed. Be that person whenever you can.

Know that I’m pulling for you!