Enthusiasm!

1. Have a balanced lifestyle, at work and home. This is crucial to your overall effectiveness and health. Balance is possible especially when you set the intent and make it a priority.
2. Communicate your needs clearly and concisely. It is okay to ask for what you want and need in order to do what you are being asked to do. Clarification can save enourmous amounts of time, energy, resources and good will.
3. Keep communication lines open with all concerned. We are not mind readers. Ask questions; provide updates; check in every so often just to see how people are doing. This provides ways to make positive connections.
4. Listen. Listen. Listen. Listen fully to what is being said. Listen with your eyes, ears and heart. Listen to what is not being said. There are different approaches to listening effectively. Discover your listening style with the Inscape Personal Listening Profile®, in order to capitalize on your listening style and adapt when necessary. Also, be sure to listen for what is being said and communicated, not just for what you want to hear.
5. Enhance your influencing skills. The power of influence goes a long way especially when you come from a place of integrity, respect and compassion.
6. Be clear about what is wanted and needed along with when and how it is needed. This applies to you first, then to others concerned and affected. Ask for clarification. Be mindful of all of your other work and personal demands.
7. Keep your commitments. Provide a “heads up” when necessary. Refer to Timely Tips 2, 3, 6 and 10 for additional insights on how to keep your commitments. Keeping your commitments and communicating up front does a lot to boost your credibility.
8. Keep things clutter free and tidy, including e-mail and computer files. Clutter can zap your energy and enthusiasm, steal your time, reduce effectiveness and cause stress.
9. Be mindful of what you bring in to your physical space. Consider whether it supports you in some way or creates annoyance, stress or distraction.
10. Set boundaries at work and home, including with yourself. Setting clear, strong boundaries with yourself and others is of extreme importance. Remember you are responsible for yourself; you are responsible to others.
11. Honor your natural rythms and peak working periods throughout the day. Structure your work and day accordingly. This allows you to show up fully and appropriately. It also supports you in working on high value tasks/projects when you are at your best.
12. Take several short breaks throughout the day. Even standing and stretching at your desk can refresh and renew. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Make a note on your calendar to take short breaks to enhance effectiveness.
13. Look for ways to have fun! Yes fun at work is possible. And it serves to spark creativity, improve morale, reduce stress and increase producitvity. Not sure where to start, then check out Leslie Yerkes’ book, 301 Ways to Have Fun At Work.

I’ve provided a baker’s dozen of timely tips. Ask yourself, which of the above are you already doing well? Which ones do you need to fine tune or work on so they become a natural choice and habit? And finally, what would you add for your number 14 and 15 Timely Tips for Engaging Enthusiasm! @ Worksm?





Antoinette Webster M.E!, MBA, is the author of Enthusiasm! How To Draw It To Yourself and Keep It, Igniting the Spark of Enthusiasm! and the forthcoming Enthusiasm! @ Worksm series. She is a Master Enthusiast who has been facilitating programs, researching and writing about enthusiasm since 1990.

# posted by Antoinette S. Webster : 7:20 AM

...is the state of joy through which creativity flows."

...inspires action and is the most contagious of all emotions."

...comes from the heart. The heart creates a feeling, which becomes expressive and demonstrative."

...comes from the joy, love of a thing you have a feeling for, sensations within."

...is both an emotional and physical state."

...is the feeling of success and satisfaction I get when I get into the task and finish it."

As we read these we get a sense of how the various aspects of us are affected by affected by enthusiasm. We also get a sense of how they are interrelated. Napoleon Hill, in Think & Grow Rich sums it up this way.

Enthusiasm is an emotion, the physical counterpart of our ideas...Enthusiasm
is a feeling of confidence, an awareness of a relationship between onself and the source of power to achieve.

Often in my programs, people will talk about how much easier it is for children to connect with and express enthusiasm. They go on to say that for them as adults, enthusiasm is hard work. In many cases this is an accurate statement. Many of us received negative messages at some point in our childhood or teen years that it wasn't okay to be exuberant, to be expressive, to have fun, etc. so we shut the door and became disconnected from our feelings.

• pause, take in a few deep breaths,
• ask within what it is you are experiencing,
• continue to breathe and listen patiently for the response.
• write about your experience in your journal and make a mental note.

Of course this is another opportunity to be with AWE! Awareness of your feelings and shifts in your emotional state. Willingness to trust yourself and the process. And Expectation that you will connect with the information your feelings provide about your level of enthusiasm.

(c) 2006 Antoinette S. Webster. All rights reserved. www.ASystemthatWorks.com

# posted by Antoinette S. Webster : 7:23 PM

1. Give yourself permission to explore and harness the power of your enthusiasm.
2. Be with AWE!—Awareness, Willingness, Excitement.
3. Honor your natural expression and experience of enthusiasm.
4. Tune in to what causes you to be enthusiastic.
5. Pay attention to Enthusiasm Zapperssm and identify what you can do to zap them before they zap you.
6. Experiment with various ways for Igniting Your Spark SM of enthusiasm.

In this article, let’s move from the individual to the team. This is where it can get interesting. There are several things to consider in order to optimize your key resources, including:

Becoming clear on what you are truly working with. Too many organizations will refer to a collection of people as a team when what they really have is bunch of people working together. There is a huge difference between a work group and a team, between a committee and a team and how their work/results flow. This isn’t a good or bad thing. Though it is an important thing to do.
Encouraging regular dialog and conversation around Enthusiasm @ Worksm is another way to begin. Allowing an exchange of ideas and experiences creates awareness of the various characteristics of enthusiasm and enthusiastic people. Awareness helps to bust some of the myths. Awareness can pave the way to better understand how this power, energy and force reveals itself from an individual and group/team dynamic. Awareness and discussion often serve as magnets for more of the object of focus, in this case enthusiasm.

Creating a supportive environment can serve as fuel for individuals and teams. One of the quickest ways to dampen the spark of enthusiasm is with little or no ongoing support.

Respecting what each person brings to the group/team as they continue to discover and harness their enthusiasm. This begins to create a synergy that brings about powerful results. Another way to view this is playing to each person’s strengths. Eventually you could have everyone naturally working in sync. For some reason flocks of geese come to mind.

Adapting the six keys for Enthusiasm @ Worksm for individuals to your team. Get everyone involved in this process. After all they are the one’s directly affected.

Communicating effectively is essential. Clear, concise communication will guarantee forward movement, individually and collectively. I sense you already know what can happen with sloppy, ineffective communication.

Collaborating on how you are going to work together ensures cohesiveness. This would be akin to co-creating ground rules so everyone knows what is expected. Each person also has to opportunity to discuss what works for him or her and what doesn’t. Of course, the key is in everyone adhering to what is agreed upon collectively.

Having fun and celebrating milestones and successes also encourages and enhances enthusiasm in the workplace. This is more than just having a good time; it sends a powerful message. Remember everything we do matters. Everything makes a difference.

This is not an all inclusive list, yet it is a good start. So how does your ‘team’ compare?




Antoinette Webster M.E!, MBA, is the author of Enthusiasm! How To Draw It To Yourself and Keep It, Igniting the Spark of Enthusiasm! and the forthcoming Enthusiasm! @ Worksm series. She is a Master Enthusiast who has been facilitating programs, researching and writing about enthusiasm since 1990. As an Author, Speaker, Facilitator and Life/Balance/Spirit Coach+, Antoinette guides people and organizations to move through barriers so they can harness the power of enthusiasm. Also, she is the President of A System that Works, which focuses on professional and personal transformative growth and development. Visit www.ASystemthatWorks.com to find out more about our programs, products and services. Or contact Antoinette at 513.887.0600, Antoinette@ASystemthatWorks.com.

© 2006 Antoinette S. Webster, A System that Workssm. All Rights Reserved www.ASystemthatWorks.com

# posted by Antoinette S. Webster : 9:04 PM

Enthusiasm! Is…interesting to define. It means different things to
different people. And at the same time, it is many things. According to
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, enthusiasm is defined as:

n. [Gr enthousiasmos < enthousiazein, to be inspired, be
possessed by a god, inspire < enthous, entheos, possessed by a god < en-,
in + theos, god] 1. [Historical] supernatural inspiration or possession;
inspired prophetic or poetic ecstasy … 4. something arousing such interest or
zeal –Syn. Passion

And from WordWeb we have it defined as:
n. Enthusiasm 1. A feeling of excitement, 2. Overflowing with enthusiasm, 3. A
lively interest

(Author’s Note: check out the definitions of inspiration and inspired
for additional depth into the definition of enthusiasm.)

“If you mix enthusiasm with your work, it will never be difficult or monotonous. It will be fun and exciting.”

W. Clement Stone

1. Give yourself permission, initially to experiment with ‘bringing’ enthusiasm to work. Then give yourself permission to explore and harness the power of your enthusiasm.
2. Be with AWE!—Awareness, Willingness, Excitement. Awareness is one of the best gifts you can give yourself, because you observe events and your environment with objectivity, along with your reactions and responses. Willingness paves the way to be open to explore and experiment. After all you can always go back to the way you were before. Excitement arises in relation to the possibilities and new discoveries that await you.
3. Honor your natural expression and experience of enthusiasm. Remember we are not a one-size fits all world. Everyone has his or her own unique way of being enthusiastic, whether it is expressive, gentle and more reserved or...
4. Tune in to what causes you to be enthusiastic. My research, experience and observations indicate there are specific things that cause people to be enthusiastic. Thirty-two are identified in Enthusiasm! How To Draw It To Yourself & Keep It ; and this is not all of them. Connecting with the underlying cause or causes keeps your fountain flowing. The next step is to look for ways to bring what causes you to be enthusiastic into your day-to-day experiences.
5. Pay attention to Enthusiasm Zapperssm. Many of them are obvious. Some are subtle. This is where awareness can help. Once you identify what zaps your enthusiasm and energy, then identify what you can do to zap them before they zap you. Create a list, adding to it as you go along. Check out Igniting the Spark of Enthusiasm! Discovering what to do when your get up and go got up and went for suggestions. Another interesting resource related to this is The Crazy Dog Guide To Happier Work by Brian Browne Walker.
6. Experiment with various ways for Igniting Your Sparksm. You already have a head start with this one. Think about what you already do to refresh, rejuvenate, relax and recharge. It could be something as simple as having a picture of a favorite vacation spot. Golfers could carry a golf tee or marker in their pocket. Take the stairs for some exercise; better yet step outside for fresh air and a short stroll. Trust yourself and trust what you know. Then give yourself permission to discover other ways to ignite your spark. Once your spark is ignited, you may find yourself being the catalyst for others to ignite theirs.
   
   
   
   Antoinette Webster M.E!, MBA, is the author of Enthusiasm! How To Draw It To Yourself & Keep It, Igniting the Spark of Enthusiasm! and the forthcoming Enthusiasm! @ Worksm series. She is a Master Enthusiast who has been facilitating programs, researching and writing about enthusiasm since 1990.As an Author, Speaker, Facilitator and Life/Balance/Spirit Coach+, Antoinette guides people and organizations to move through barriers so they can harness the power of enthusiasm. Also, she is the President of A System that Workssm, which focuses on professional and personal transformative growth and development. Visit www.ASystemthatWorks.com to find out more about our programs, products and services. Or contact Antoinette at 513.887.0600, Antoinette@ASystemthatWorks.com.

# posted by Antoinette S. Webster : 8:57 PM  0 comments

Enthusiasm is a state of mind that inspires and arouses a person to action.

Me, my head. I think it therefore I AM! More of a process of thought, idea and
then physiology to look and act the part and feel it, not just the thought but
all of it.

Related to this are some of the responses I have received to the question, “where does enthusiasm come from?”, along with my comments.

• Enthusiasm is a mindset — this relates to our gift of choice.
• Because you are thinking about it — our thoughts are powerful. Merely thinking about enthusiasm (joy, exuberance, fun, being energized, etc.) can evoke the feelings and actions that cause you to experience and express enthusiasm.
• Being in the moment — enthusiasm is a present moment experience that allows you to be fully present and respond to the moment.
• Dreams of what will occur — can relate to daydreams or night dreams. Visualizations are one form of ‘dreaming’.
• Positive outlook; positive state of mind — we get what we focus on.
• Remembrances — simply recalling times and events when you were enthusiastic can reconnect you with those thoughts and feelings.
• Energy generated by good ideas — this one speaks for itself.

# posted by Antoinette S. Webster : 8:21 PM  0 comments

• greater work satisfaction because people and work teams connect with what causes them to be enthusiastic and learn how to bring that to their work on an ongoing basis.
• improved productivity when people and teams are inspired and inwardly motivated, which causes them to want to and choose to do better quality work.
• greater ease and flow as people and teams discover their natural rhythms while honing their skills, talents and abilities.
• streamlined systems as people, teams and leaders capitalize on their personal and collective strengths. This enables them to look for a better way to do what needs to be done, with greater efficiency.
• higher levels of creativity and innovation, which has a natural, strong link to accessing enthusiasm along with cognitive, and often intuitive, abilities.
• enhanced team effectiveness partly due to the ‘contagious’ nature of enthusiasm. And yet it is more than that when you consider people are able to show up more fully, do work they enjoy or work in ways that bring them satisfaction, allowing them to make a contribution to something greater than themselves.
• sharper levels of clarity and focus simply due to the fact that when we are tapped into the energy/power/force/experience/expression of enthusiasm, we are in the present moment. The present moment allows us to see and do things in ways that bring about fascinating results.
• more effective communication with ourselves, our co-workers, colleagues, teams, vendors and clients. The more we discover about ourselves, the more we can learn about others. Understanding ourselves and others allows for communicating in ways that are clear, concise, respectful and achieve desired results.
• stronger leaders and managers who, in addition to the above factors, are able to co-create places where people: enjoy working, know what is expected of them, are able to do their best work and understand how they fit in with the overall plan.
• increased profitability that comes from improved productivity and increased effectiveness.
• reduced stress as a natural result, especially in light of the above factors. People begin to respect and take better care of themselves. Organizations choose to find better, more effective ways to get the job done; treat their most valuable resource—their people—with care and respect; and continue to harness the power of enthusiasm throughout the organization.

There is so much more to Enthusiasm! @ Worksm than what most people realize. Becoming aware of the what, why and how is just the first step.

Antoinette Webster M.E!, MBA, is the author of Enthusiasm! How To Draw It To Yourself and Keep It, Igniting the Spark of Enthusiasm! and the forthcoming Enthusiasm! @ Worksm series. She is a Master Enthusiast who has been facilitating programs, researching and writing about enthusiasm since 1990.

# posted by Antoinette S. Webster : 8:54 AM  0 comments