Magic in the Work Place: Passion

I’ve been working since I can remember. I started babysitting at the age of 10 and refereed for the local soccer leagues starting at the age of 12. When I turned 16, I began working at the local recreation center part-time after school and on the weekends. Following high school graduation, I landed a job weeks before school even started my freshman year of college and continued to work at the same place until the end of my senior year.  I’m no stranger to this working girl thing.



So, when I landed my first job as a research associate on a psychiatric research team at the University of Michigan’s Medical School within weeks of college graduation, I was ecstatic and happy to keep my whole being-employed streak going. Of course this was my first “real” job and it paid little (like, very little), but it had something that I will hold all jobs to in the future: it had amazing, passionate people. During my time there, I knew the people were different than anyone I had worked with before, but I don’t think I understood at the time what a difference incredible coworkers and a great environment can make.

I'm talking passion, but not, well... Tom Cruise passion.
Oprah looks terrified.

I had always loved psychology and was clearly interested in research, as my undergraduate work showed, but I wasn’t entirely sure what direction I wanted to take following school. To give you some background, I mainly worked with 3 psychiatrists and a team of research professionals including one close co-worker who shared the same responsibilities with me. The doctors I worked with and my direct supervisor made it a point to help me develop my skills, not only within the realm of research, but also in my interests with specific psychiatric conditions. My fellow shared-responsibility coworker happily took on new projects and jumped into opportunities with me. Everyone was in it together; there was a real sense of team. There were constant opportunities to attend seminars, monthly “round-tables”, and presentations on new research being conducted in the field of psychiatry. In addition, I was encouraged to attend monthly patient interviews where I took my own notes and evaluated the patient on my own, followed by a detailed discussion of the doctors comparing notes and their own diagnoses, which I could then compare mine to. The educational opportunities were endless, as was the support to work on presenting the research team’s progress at a conference held yearly, and a continued, open discussion of what would help me further my skills. Most encouraging though, was the passion that everyone I worked with had on that team. It’s been unparalleled to any team or group of people I have worked with to date. It was so much less of a job, and so much more of a learning experience.

I’ve often wondered what made the group dynamic work so well, or why that group of people seemed so much more passionate about their work than anyone I’ve worked with since. Some would probably argue that this is simply the difference between working within an academic institution versus an independent, for-profit company. Some would also say that the docs I worked with were just more inclined to be super awesome because they were connected with a teaching hospital and just had the right mindset to encourage and mentor the people they worked with. (Or maybe it’s just because I was at the University of Michigan and people are cooler there). While I think there is truth to all of these points, I know there are other groups of passionate, enthusiastic people in other industries. So what gives?

Since leaving that job, I’ve longed for the collaborating connection with co-workers that proved to make such an impression on me. Luckily, I think I may have found the magic again at my newest employer. The debate can hardly be settled though since the group of people I work with are involved in both the for-profit side of the industry as well as having connections and teaching privileges at Johns Hopkins University.

Bonus! Happy/Passionate People = $$$

So, what makes people come to work everyday and continue to be motivated while creating a stellar environment for both them and their coworkers? Is it the nature of the job itself, is it all about the people, or is it something else?