Cultivating Magical Moments in the Workplace: Harmonizing with Jimmy Buffett’s Energy

As I crest the top of the steps and arrive at my destination, I suddenly have an out-of-body experience. I’m witnessing a miracle.

Twelve individuals are working together in complete sync. Their communication is cohesive. Their execution is flawless. Their collaboration looks effortless. The diversity of their expertise welcomes inclusivity. I start to gain more excitement and join the rest of the crowd—all 8,000 of them.

We’re swaying back and forth to the beat of Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band. We’re smiling, singing, laughing, and dancing. We’re completely present with the gift of music and solidarity that we’re experiencing.

I hadn’t been to a concert for nearly two years, but this energetic sensation from a shared music experience feels familiar. This sensation reminds me of the magical moments I’ve witnessed and helped create throughout my career.

Just this week I felt a similar sensation of excitement when one of my Gen Z clients called and, with tears of joy, said she received her first job offer at her dream company.

What about you? When you think back on your career, do you recall moments when the energetic sensation of harmony felt magical and memorable? Perhaps it was when someone you admired offered invaluable advice in a time of need. Or when the bond you created working on a project with your team became like family. Is there an instant you recall where everything just clicked and resulted in an innovative process or invention?

When I think back on my own working life, memorable moments that arise involved finding synchronicity with co-workers or witnessing the uplifting results of my own efforts.

This includes formulating an inspirational question with my “CoStars” at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Hotel that enabled us to increase satisfaction results on customer surveys. And fostering an environment of collaboration that advanced the way a major US automotive company now pipelines talent. And also, the excitement voiced by emerging leaders at Caesars Entertainment from my work with them that led to creating a lifetime of memories for honeymooners, families, and friends.

The impact of dynamic moments such as these has driven me and so many others to pour our passion into our work every day. There’s one single term that can describe this thrilling sensation—“energy.”

Yet the most recent State of the Global Workforce Report shows that individuals are quitting their jobs at a record pace. Less than one-third of the US workforce is currently engaged at work. Lack of motivation plus loss of productivity are costing the economy more than $8.1 trillion globally.

In an attempt to turn this trend around, companies are investing in training and courses, and individuals are delving into self-help books and retreats that may be temporarily useful, but their impact is short lived. Why? Because we as a society are trained to focus on what’s wrong in our lives, careers, or the economic conditions. We hear so many criticisms and complaints that it drives many to give up before even attempting to devise a solution. Jimmy Buffett summed up the sentiment well in his song, “What If The Hokey Pokey Is All It Really Is About:”

The universe is runnin’ away
I heard it on the news just the other day
There’s this new stuff called dark energy
We can’t measure and we can’t see
It’s some elementary mystery
Train that we can’t catch
But our heads are in the oven
And somebody’s ’bout to strike a match...

The response from workers is quite understandable. Challenges continue to stack up. What’s the point in trying? Something is obviously missing.

...Maybe it’s all too simple
For our big brains to figure out
What if the hokey pokey
Is all it really is about?

I propose that what’s needed to effectively engage and inspire people and entire organizations is a re-examination of the personal energy each of us carries towards work and the workplace.

The amount of vigor or capacity you bring to a situation is based on the way you see things. The way you see things is forged by your life history, training, and genetic makeup. Once you become aware of how your own personal energy colors the way you experience your surroundings—including your work setting—you can meaningfully shift any negative personal energy that you bring to the table to become more positive. In this way, you take the reins that help transform your own and other’s work experience. You can be in control of your own energy and not let your baggage-filled energy control you.

What’s more, you’ll find that constructive energy is contagious. Increasing your personal energy will, in turn, increase the positive energy of those around you and help build a motivational workplace culture. You and your co-workers can recreate the excitement that attracted you to your work in the first place—and actually fall back in love with your job.

The Coral Reefer Band started in Jimmy Buffett’s imagination. After he became tired of working with session musicians he was determined to find a group of band members who would help him create a signature sound. Today, that one-of-a-kind sound continues to appeal to multitudes of people and create energetic moments of flow for Parrot Heads worldwide.

Workplace motivation and productivity is a direct result of employees experiencing their leader’s and coworkers’ personal energy. It has an energetic impact that can fuel a positive and productive workplace culture.

Simply enhancing personal energy will lead to increased satisfaction and productivity in the workplace and bring about lasting organizational success.

...You put your hand in
You take your hand out
You put your mind in
And you shake it all about
You’ve only got two options Having fun or freaking out
And that’s what it’s all about!