Passion and Purpose
The great myth about experience, titles and acronyms.
If you've been in leadership long enough, you know there's a secret sauce in each of us that, once tapped into, makes it impossible for someone or something to get in our way.
The secret sauce has nothing to do with how many years someone has in the business, their current title in that business, their education, their age, or their tenure with the company. All those have value, but none of them matter as much as passion and purpose. Have you ever wondered why someone younger, less tenured, and less experienced climbs the corporate ladder and passes over highly educated, tenured coworkers? You know the answer. Knowing your passion and purpose makes you an invaluable asset in any company or team you're associated with. Passion is attractive and a bright light that everyone can see.
Let's take a relatable real-world example. When you are in a new relationship and head over heels for someone, you will do anything to keep their attention and get their affection. Even things that once seemed impossible. When I met my wife over 30 years, she would ask me to do something that I knew I would hate doing but always participated in with excitement and enthusiasm. That was because I was doing it with her. I had a purpose and was passionate about that purpose. I was unstoppable. We know that initial unbridled passion turns into genuine care and love that matures year after year if nurtured properly. However, it proves the point. Our only limit is ourselves.
Through the years, I've started multiple businesses. A few I wasn’t passionate about but paid the bills ( purpose), and one I was highly passionate about that was a nonprofit. I enjoyed that one the most. I sold one of my failing businesses to a person who made it into a multi-million dollar success in a few short years because it was his passion. It wasn’t me or the industry or the current economic environment that failed. Quite the opposite, his passion made that business a booming success regardless of all obstacles. His work quality was way beyond mine and mine was good. However, his passion, which manifested in pride in his work, was undeniable. That’s how passion trumps experience every day. He has outlasted and outgrown competitors with 10x the experience and hundreds more business relationships. This is just another example that there is no substitute for having passion and knowing your purpose. As organizational leaders, we must be passion and purpose recognizers while continually helping our people to also grow in awareness of both. Fortunately, I have found my passion and have been blessed because of it. If you are looking for a good book to pick up and discover your true passion please check out my friend Lincoln S. Kokaram HERE. You won’t be disappointed.
The video message below from Dave Ramsey displays this critical component better than I just did. He has learned that caring for your organization is about hiring and promoting for passion and purpose, not skill or experience alone. Dave cuts deep into some archaic ways we look at experience, history, titles, and acronyms after the last name as signs of leadership and ability. Instead, he challenges us to look deeper into what drives innovation and success: passion and purpose. He also discusses ways to instill more passion in your people by helping them find their purpose. A great line in his video below is, "if your soul is gone, take your body with it." Said another way, if you're not passionate about what you're doing anymore, don't just stick around. The entire team will end up suffering. Get out of your comfort zone and find your passion. Everyone around you will be better for it!
Here is Dave Ramsey saying what I just said even better. Give yourself an hour before you click. https://cheryldeneve.wistia.com/medias/e8b97idwk0