Leaders have to be enthusiastic about what they are doing. Have you ever known a really enthusiastic leader? They are passionate about the vision they have, and they believe in it with all their heart. I love those kind of leaders, they just seem to create highly motivated teams. In my early days with the professional association I belong to, I met one of the most enthusiastic leaders I have ever known, Brenda Hurley. She is a dynamic leader who inspires you to be involved with whatever she is doing. I remember telling her one time she was like a missionary who was so excited about what she had to share that everyone just wanted to be involved in it. I learned a lot from her and have always been thankful for her leadership and her friendship.

Enthusiasm is contagious. When you are excited about something, it tends to spread to others. We all want to be involved in things that we are passionate about, and finding someone else who is passionate, drives us to be our best.

Enthusiasm must be real.
I’m not talking about the “salesman” type of enthusiasm that tries to get us to buy into an idea or a product. We can spot those a mile away and false enthusiasm tends to make us cringe and want to move far away from whatever that is. It has to be genuine and heartfelt.

What about when you’re just not enthusiastic?
I have had some talks lately with a friend who said “It’s just my day to be ‘blah. Can’t I have one day?” We all have those days when it’s hard to be motivated. Life happens. It becomes hard to stay pumped up all of the time. Still, it’s important that those we lead don’t see those “blah” days all the time. I’m not suggesting that you should never show people you are having a hard time, that’s not realistic. The goal is not to become superhuman. The goal is to be authentic. Even if you’re having a bad day, are you excited about your project? Then be sure to add that!

We are enthusiastic about what we love.
Yes, it really is that simple. Do you love your job? Love the latest project? If you’re a parent, are you enthusiastic about your kids, your family? When we really love what we are doing, it’s pretty easy to be enthusiastic. If we don’t really love something, it’s much harder. For me, the answer has been to always be sure I am doing what I love. I’ve learned to pick and choose what I do so that I don’t invest time and energy into things that don’t make a difference. If I can be involved in something that really makes a difference, it’s easy to be enthused about it.

To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” DO something great today!

What are some examples of leaders who have been so enthusiastic you just wanted to follow them?

Welcome to the Nicholls Leadership Institute blog. Leadership, and in particular leading with integrity, has long been a passion of mine. I hope to provide meaningful information and dialogue here and hope you will join us. Be sure to sign up below so you don’t miss something as new things are posted.