Hannah Carter
Director of Wedgworth Leadership Institute
Gainesville, Florida
“Follow your passion, and success will follow you.” ~Arthur Buddhold
So what are you passionate about? Now before you respond with the first thing that comes to mind (my spouse, golf, fishing, shopping, etc.) let’s settle on a definition of passion. Merriam Webster defines passion as “an intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction.” With this definition in mind, let me ask you this question again, what are you passionate about? Are you passionate about your organization or working within your industry?
If that question posed the second time made you pause, think, and wonder “if I like my job does that count?” Or, “I ’m a member of my industry association, does that make me passionate?” No, no it doesn’t.
In the book Good to Great, the author, Jim Collins tells us that we will never be a part of a world class organization (or have a world class life) if we are satisfied in doing the things that we are competent in, being “competent” isn’t the basis for greatness. When Collins poses a question on passion, he asks, “You are doing work you are passionate about and absolutely love to do, enjoying the actual process for its own sake? (“I look forward to getting up and throwing myself into my daily work, and I really believe in what I'm doing.”) As E.M. Forster stated “One person with passion is better than forty people merely interested." So do you have passion about your organization or your industry, or are you merely interested in it?
If you’re merely interested, then are you in the right business, or industry for that matter? Mere interest isn’t going to make you or your organization a success. Mere interest isn’t going to keep your industry going. And mere interest isn’t going to provide the leadership necessary to navigate the issues and challenges that face you and all members of your organization.
While there are many individuals in your organization and industries that are “competent” and “interested” , I challenge you to look beyond this standard to focus on what you are passionate about within your organization and your industry. The wonderful thing about passion is that it is inspiring to those around you…your co-workers, your customers, and others within your industry. While there are countless recipes which dictate the necessary components of leadership, I contend that passion is absolutely essential, without it, we are just mediocre at best.
“I can't imagine a person becoming a success who doesn't give this game of life everything he's got." — Walter Cronkite
So are you giving your organization and your industry everything you’ve got?
“Follow your passion, and success will follow you.” ~Arthur Buddhold
So what are you passionate about? Now before you respond with the first thing that comes to mind (my spouse, golf, fishing, shopping, etc.) let’s settle on a definition of passion. Merriam Webster defines passion as “an intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction.” With this definition in mind, let me ask you this question again, what are you passionate about? Are you passionate about your organization or working within your industry?
If that question posed the second time made you pause, think, and wonder “if I like my job does that count?” Or, “I ’m a member of my industry association, does that make me passionate?” No, no it doesn’t.
In the book Good to Great, the author, Jim Collins tells us that we will never be a part of a world class organization (or have a world class life) if we are satisfied in doing the things that we are competent in, being “competent” isn’t the basis for greatness. When Collins poses a question on passion, he asks, “You are doing work you are passionate about and absolutely love to do, enjoying the actual process for its own sake? (“I look forward to getting up and throwing myself into my daily work, and I really believe in what I'm doing.”) As E.M. Forster stated “One person with passion is better than forty people merely interested." So do you have passion about your organization or your industry, or are you merely interested in it?
If you’re merely interested, then are you in the right business, or industry for that matter? Mere interest isn’t going to make you or your organization a success. Mere interest isn’t going to keep your industry going. And mere interest isn’t going to provide the leadership necessary to navigate the issues and challenges that face you and all members of your organization.
While there are many individuals in your organization and industries that are “competent” and “interested” , I challenge you to look beyond this standard to focus on what you are passionate about within your organization and your industry. The wonderful thing about passion is that it is inspiring to those around you…your co-workers, your customers, and others within your industry. While there are countless recipes which dictate the necessary components of leadership, I contend that passion is absolutely essential, without it, we are just mediocre at best.
“I can't imagine a person becoming a success who doesn't give this game of life everything he's got." — Walter Cronkite
So are you giving your organization and your industry everything you’ve got?
