You can't teach passion. You can't control it, cajole it or coerce it. However , when you see passion's fire burning- DO NOT IGNORE IT. When you see passion burning in you, in your kids, in someone who works for you, you can detect it, emphasize it, employ it, and empower it. Freeing people to passionate pursuits produces good for the whole world.
What have you intentionally done to ignite, foster and fan the flames of passion lately?
Organizations that lead the way in the new economy will do just that. They will find ways to release people to discover, engage and nurture passion for the long haul. Daniel Pink in his new book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, (A MUST READ) "Intrinsically motivated people usually achieve more than their reward-seeking counterparts." Pink's thesis: Introducing external (faux) reward ultimately has a negative effect on long-term productivity. On the other hand, when organizations create ways to release their people to AUTONOMY, MASTERY and PURPOSE, creative work happens without the forced stick and carrot mentality of the factory work past. (what Pink calls "Motivation 2.0") People really do want to do excellent work. It's just got to be the right work in the right place in a way that employs something they care about... even better care deeply about - PASSION.
Combine Pink's thesis with Seth Godin's thesis in his new book, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable, (another MUST READ) where he says that in the post-factory economy, "It turns out that what we need are gifts and connectedness and humanity and the artists who create them. Leaders don't get a map or a set of rules. Living without a map requires a different attitude. It requires you to be a linchpin."
So here's a leadership idea: Get leaders together and create a passion summit. Ask just four key questions:
Where do we see the sparks of passion lately? (in us, in others)
What can we do to fan the flames of that passion?
What do we need to
What can we do to unleash more passionate work for the long haul?
Newsvine
