Your biggest accomplishments, one way or another, have always been achieved with enthusiasm. As founder of Smart Youth Volunteers Foundation Lailah Gifty Akita once said, “Every great endeavor is fueled by great enthusiasm.” Having such quality—being strongly excited and eager about what you do—is truly a game-changer, especially in the workplace.

Several studies have reported that work enthusiasm has a significant effect on employee performance. Enthusiasm has been found to act as a catalyst for increasing employee engagement and productivity.^1,2,3 That is why when companies evaluate applicants, they not only look at those who have the skills, but also those who show enthusiasm.⁴

Let’s get it on! Here are five simple tips to show enthusiasm at work!

1. Take initiative.

Initiative is the ability to take action without relying on others to tell you what to do. When you initiate, you demonstrate self-confidence. You express enthusiasm to have your voice heard and succeed in what you do. For example, you saw that a certain project still lacks a team head, and instead of sitting around, you approach your manager and ask if you can fill in the role—that’s initiative. It shows that you are an asset to the team because you are eager to act and be proactive at work. Further, taking initiative would help you in maximising opportunities and developing strong leadership skills.

2. Offer assistance.

Lending a hand to others establishes you as a team player. This shows your coworkers that you can help them deal with challenges at work. For instance, the next time you notice a colleague who is struggling with their workload, check in on them and ask how you can be of help. You can also be a listening ear; so, make sure to pay attention, give moral support, and practise empathy. Supporting others can make you feel rewarded and empowered, which in turn can boost your self-esteem and improve your mood. Overall, offering assistance creates a healthy and happy work environment and ultimately contributes to being optimistic. Having a positive attitude reinforces enthusiasm and allows you to further remain active in the workplace.

3. Exceed expectations.

Let’s say you are assigned to make the monthly progress report about your department’s projects. You plan ahead to collate the necessary data. You prepare a smooth-running presentation, complete with graphs to show the projects’ performance and charts to show the different activities and their status. You also include a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis to examine what may help or impede the success of the projects.

You’re imagining giving this report and wowing your colleagues, aren’t you? The amount of effort you put into your work says a lot about your work attitude. No matter how simple a task may seem, try to give your best and go the extra mile. These can help you learn how to think outside of the box and make the most of your potential. All in all, exceeding expectations displays keenness, builds determination, and strengthens passion.

4. Respect your colleagues.

As you are happy to work and excited to help or make the first move, remember to respect your colleagues and collaborate with them, too. When you disagree with others’ ideas, be patient and maintain your professionalism. Do not disregard their opinions, instead, try extra hard to listen to see their point of view and arrive at a compromise. While you feel strongly about your ideas and you really want to show your abilities, know when to draw the line as well. Furthermore, avoid pushing your suggestions too hard, especially when a majority decision has been made. Being respectful demonstrates that you are cooperative and amenable to work with, which can help you maintain your enthusiasm in the event that you do not have similar opinions as your colleagues. 

5. Be open to improvement.

Your willingness to improve translates to enthusiasm because it tells people that you are motivated to learn and embrace challenges. Cultivating a mindset that is open to continuous learning will take you places. This kind of mindset would allow you to see obstacles as opportunities and understand and accept constructive criticism. In addition, when you improve yourself, you would tend to feel more productive and accomplished.

Conclusion

Keep in mind that there are many ways out there to show enthusiasm at work. Taking initiative, lending an extra hand, going beyond expectations, respecting colleagues, and being open to learning are among those you can start practising!

To end, here’s a bonus tip: You can start showing enthusiasm right away even though you haven’t landed your target job by submitting a video resume! This would surely spice up your application and make you stand out as recruiters can see enthusiasm through a video.

Outwiths have this unique feature and can help you create your awesome video resume. Sign up here and try it today!

References:

1. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Organizational-Career-Growth-and-Employees-‟-:-An-Biswakarma/aa8d309ef40ba102c56a5b6143bf42faf5f46b80

2. https://jurnal-univpgri--palembang-ac-id.translate.goog/index.php/Ekonomika/article/view/372?_x_tr_sl=id&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=nui,sc

3. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280804909_Employee_Engagement_in_Relation_to_Employee-Organization_Relationships_and_Internal_Reputation_Effects_of_Leadership_Communication

4. https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/odep/topics/youth/softskills/enthusiasm.pdf

Created on: 28 November 2021