Begin With P-A-S-S-I-O-N!
Aretha wanted some R-E-S-P-E-C-T and I’d like to see some P-A-S-S-I-O-N! Where has it all gone? It’s missing from just about every part of our lives...
- Work has become the thing we do everyday
- Hangin’ out with our pals has become the measure we compare ourselves against
- Working around our homes has become a great reason for sleeping in on Saturdays or it’s completely outsourced
- Vacation has become a series of events or a package that’s assembled
- “Food assembly” has replaced cooking and redefined how we think, prepare and interact with our food
What’s missing – PASSION – and some genuine excitement for what we’re doing – where has all the LOVE, ENERGY and EXCITEMENT gone?
Why does this matter? Because there’s a measurable difference between teams who have it and those that don’t. It’s intense and you can FEEL it when it’s there! Engagement, excitement, P-A-S-S-I-O-N! A real drive to capture the opportunities and WIN!!
Before we begin each project we get grounded in why we’re here – why is this day important to you PERSONALLY. A few weeks ago a team we were working with rattled off a list that had clearly been muttered around the halls and in meeting rooms for years. It went something like this:
1. To get more customers
2. To grow our business
3. To keep our suppliers happy
4. To enforce our number one position
5. To keep pushing ourselves
6. To make sales easier
7. To keep us competitive
And then they ran out of gas… It was obvious to me why they ran out of gas. So we called them on it…“NO – this is not acceptable…this is not what we’re looking for. We asked for your personal reasons…why does this matter to YOU…why are YOU here today?”
That got their attention, and just look how the list changed:
Why?? (Round 2)
1. Stay competitive – survival both of the job and professionally
2. It’s cool to see our stuff on TV
3. More fun / Victory!
4. Money/fun/family/GROWTH
5. Sustained monthly/reproducible
6. Better part of the team
7. More shoes & handbags
8. Grow Jobs
9. Money
10. Whole Brain
11. Simple way to help heroes
12. Name on patents
13. Fire fighter survival
14. Set us apart … WOW!
15. Enjoy work again
16. Buy Single Malt!
17. Make a difference in the world
18. Teach an old dog new tricks
Now that’s worth getting out of bed for. That’s personal engagement, commitment, EXCITEMENT and all the other “MENTS.”
And that’s what we’re all about – putting the personal pride and ownership back into what you’re doing. Your job shouldn’t be work…if it is, something’s wrong…terribly wrong.
BRAVO & BEWARE
Bravo to Kari for keeping them honest. And BEWARE corporate world - the folks in low cost countries have tons of passion. Recently Recently I was doing a little one-on-one coaching with the owner of a medium sized business that makes gloves for firemen. He was relating that he had recently lost half his sales to a company from Pakistan. UGH – I could feel his pain. How embarrassing – how could a marketplace as red blooded American as FIRE DEPARTMENTS turn from a US to Pakistani company. How much cheaper were they? I asked. That’s the sad part the owner replied – while it’s true that they have a lower cost of production – we actually got beat with a higher costing glove. Their glove is more flexible – it just works better. Frankly, if I were a fire department I'd buy their glove too.WOW – think about that for a minute. It’s one thing to lose to a low cost manufacturer. However, imagine what will happen when the low cost markets evolve and start using creativity and innovation to craft products with dramatic differences. Then we'll all have to find some PASSION real quick.
Where has all the LOVE, ENERGY and EXCITEMENT gone?
Where has all the LOVE, ENERGY and EXCITEMENT gone?
There is an old saying: Blessed are those who go around in circles for they shall be called wheels. Indeed, the wheel is one of man’s finest inventions, yet when it travels the same path, it creates ruts and deep ruts are hard to exit. Too deep and people resign themselves to that is all there is and why fight it. Once that happens, apathy takes root and takes over.
Our society, maybe like that of the frog in the pot of cool water that when the heat is slowly turned up it just sits oblivious to what is happening until it is boiled. Sadly, it often takes a major event (like WWII or 9/11) to awaken our nation out that apathy and reignite our passion.
In the meantime, keep up the good work and continue being the beacon in the night that warns that status quo is not acceptable and that we all most take personal responsibility for our lives, our families, and our nation.
Rick Walkenhorst