REFLECTION: We’re just back from a four day weekend get away to Victoria. Amongst the many people we encountered were Susanne, Mauro, and a handful of Harbor Ferry pilots.

Susanne served us in the restaurant at the Laurel Point Inn. Though business was brisk for both Saturday breakfast and Sunday brunch, Susanne made the time for conversation. She remembered our names from one day to the next, asked about our plans each day, tossed in a few bits of info about herself, and we shared more than a few laughs in the process. I almost stopped to apologize for deserting her on morning three, as I headed off to breakfast elsewhere.

When Mauro, the proprietor at The Tuscan Kitchen, discovered my husband Dave was a fellow foodie, he eagerly swapped stories on a wide range of topics – the merits of various balsamic vinegars, food and travel in Italy, fresh garden vegetables, and old country cooking tips. We wandered into his shop looking for one thing, purchased something entirely different, and popped back again for yet another item and a second round of stories.

We used the Victoria Harbor Ferry services to scoot across from one side of the harbour to another. The pilots we met were easy-going, personable and brimming with information. At 10:45 on Sunday mornings through the summer, five of the pilots muster their boats in front of the Empress Hotel. As the sounds of the Blue Danube waltz blast across the harbor, they execute a synchronized water ballet involving circles, turns, rotating lines, and criss-crossing paths. Think the RCMP musical ride on floats! The ten minute performance is pure whimsy – transporting no one from point A to B and transporting everyone from serious sightseeing to guffaws and giggles.

What do all these people have in common? To a person, a love of their life and work. And … that feeling was infectious.

Sure, you could make the case that their actions paid off in increased business. Great customer service and word of mouth marketing can and do build sales.

But not once did I have the sense that there was an ulterior money-driven motive in their actions. These individuals all seem to have cultivated a love of life and work that just spills from their core, catching others in its wake.

ACTION: So what might this have to do with reducing the impact of overload and overwhelm in our lives and work? In my mind, a great deal.

When we tap into the raw enthusiasm for our work and the services we deliver, that energy influences the way we engage our clients and colleagues. It’s an upwardly infectious spiral that builds both relationships and businesses, energizing givers and receivers in the process.

Where is the play in your work? If you’ve lost sight of it, see if you can’t tap into the source once more. Look for opportunities for lightheartedness in the everyday grind. Reclaim the joy and let it work its magic for you and those you serve. You will be energized – and so will they!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Delighted engagement trumps dogged determination – and it’s a lot more fun, to boot!” – Yours Truly

RESOURCE OF THE WEEK: If you are curiously inclined, take a moment or two to treat yourself to a sample of the ferry boat ballet at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peNcxsFk7f8