Barrier:
Over Enthusiasm....Is It Good For Any Organization!

By Tap Kham - CDE at Intel Technology

September 1, 2012 at 6:31am

disaggregation

adaptability

Moonshots

Focus the work of management on a higher purpose

Increase trust, reduce fear

Retool management for an open and borderless world

Summary

One of my friend working in a big multi national company (Culturally diverse), was talking to me and said that : "Dude, My Boss told me to control my enthusiasm of how I do stuff!!, And it was really discouraging. Truly saying, I work in my company the most faithful way I could, I invest all my strengths, skills, education and hard work for the success of what is being done. I am totally dispaired to listen this!"

I was totally moved by the discouragement he was carrying along with him. I dont see any of his mistakes. But that is not my real concern. Real concern is How management perceives this? Is he doing anything bad by being over enthusiastic? If he is open to learn and welcome people to correct himself, Should he not expect the same behaviour from others? In my vote, suppresing his enthusiasm will always cause a loss to Company. Expert views????

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September 7, 2012 at 5:25am

Jan Robert Johnsen

Interesting. I see this all the time. People from formal companies and mostly older, tend to correct this kind of behaviour and telling people to "be professional" or "these people are used to meet excecutives, so behave".

I think much of this is a Management 1.0 / 2.0 barrier - but first and foremost, uncertainty from the C-suite / management about the change in the way people communicate today. We are less formal than we used to be and excited people are more common. The language of the social feeds move into everyday worklife and people not used to this new way of communicating - nor used to enthusiasts, can react negatively. I also removes some of the traditional hierachies, where the boss was the wisest.

But, the enthusiasts need to be aware that in the heat of the moment, patterns of interruption and over-excitment can emerge and a person can really fill up a room too much.

I hope this will change over time, and that we can loosen the ties a little and bring more of our personality to work in the future. I like original people with enthusiasm, I really like them. I trust them easier. I am tired of the carbon-copy suites that has been around to long, trained to tell sweet little lies to us all :-)

September 10, 2012 at 9:41pm

Tap Kham

Thanks Jan!

I was also in the similar vote! I liked this THE MOST:

I am tired of the carbon-copy suites that has been around to long, trained to tell sweet little lies to us all :-)

Considering it to be a Management Barrier(1/2), Do we have any ways of improving the situation? Changing(or improving) the Mindset of an Employee or Manager (Or the Management) on this issue? I have often noticed that in lack of any known solution to this problem, The entire Organization suffers in term of Compressed Innovation and so in terms of Revenue!!! If this event happens time and again with the Employees/Managers, and they dont have any known solution to this, They get kind of De-Moralized and the performance suffers, Ultimately missing the target hit of the organization.

Readers, Your Inputs too will be appreciated??

September 10, 2012 at 9:42pm

Tap Kham

September 12, 2012 at 11:25pm

Frederic J.Leconte

Been there.(Have been)done that.
I agree with Jan it is a Management 1.0 skill (bug in that case) from over polished shiny and smooth pseudo-leaders;
Beyond this first level analysis, enthusiasm must be encouraged while it must be deciphered through the cultural prism big time.
So it is easy to calibrate into an homogeneous population sharing the same benchmark modulo the personality dispersion.
it requires some additional tuning when joining a global mixed group. Room filling is definetely a function of personal space protection factor, not only physically but acoustic wise. Compare urban indian traffic jam and "OK Honk" codes with a Japanese metropolex transportation.Likewise Thai jam is also misunderstood and a different animal.More like a quiet elephant that many pre-suppose.
Enthusiasm is never to be hidden nor to be tuned down, only it must adapt to the peers/customers/bosses captors sensitivity, in order to remain efficient and contagious.

December 18, 2013 at 12:55pm

Alexandra Bennett

I have actually said this. But, in my defense, it was after years of having this said to me and I was honestly just trying to protect/warn a new employee from getting his heart crushed like I did...