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Enthusiasm and passion are two emotions leaders must possess. And they have to be able to inspire those same qualities in those who surround them. Employees are often swept along by an enthusiastic leader’s determination and single-mindedness to realize a goal. In time they too become enthusiastic and passionate about the same things.

What’s so different about passion and enthusiasm is that they are not taught but caught. You can’t teach people to be passionate or enthusiastic. It’s contagious. It spreads like a positive virus through the team. It transforms the energy of people.

I love the origin of the word ‘enthusiasm’. It’s from the Greek word ‘entheos’ which translates into ‘the God within’. I prefer to think of it as ‘the spirit within’. A deep, profound energy that makes you work tirelessly to achieve your goals. So how do we create the right conditions for this magical virus to spread?

“If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm”

Vince Lombardi, American football coach

 Maintain an optimistic outlook. Pessimists and cynics drag everybody down. Face up to all obstacles with the conviction you will succeed.

 Find people who share the same passion. There will be others outside your team who equally share your enthusiasm and passion. Seek them out on bad days!

 Control your emotions when faced with disappointment. When setbacks occur a team might try and read the reactions of the leader. Be aware of this and hide any emotion when confronting setbacks.

 Allow people to experience temporary lows. It’s human nature. We all lose enthusiasm occasionally. Just don’t let them stay there. Move them quickly to the next tip…

 Concentrate on what can be done. Negative teams meet an obstacle and immediately respond, “Typical. I knew this would happen.” You’ll only overcome it by concentrating minds on what can be done.

 Never let your enthusiasm interfere with your objectivity. Enthusiasm can, with some people, turn into obsession. Healthy doses of good feedback help you retain that objectivity.

And remember that enthusiasm and passion are not necessarily about bouncing around as if you’re on springs all the time. There are many people who are equally enthusiastic but, because they are not as extroverted, will show it in their own way.

Passion is contagious and can spread rapidly through a team.