Put Passion in Your Business
This week I was conducting phone interviews, and many times the candidates referenced my passion for the organization. What is passion? Why is there room for it in business?
The Oxford Dictionary defines passion as a strong and barely controllable emotion. The vital part of this definition is that passion is barely controllable; therefore, emotional awareness and intelligence are not simply thrown out the window.
In business, there is a fundamental need for passion for the company itself. As a business leader, the want to lead your team and desire to learn to make the team better is critical for forward progress. Simply put, passion is the personal want to make your company great and be the best business person you can be. You want to be where you are, and you are determined to let people know what your company offers.
Moreover, this message resonates with aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners as they have invested their own time, money, effort, and energy into their company. When the times are hard, no one besides you can pump passion into the company or the task at hand. Thus, it creates energy and instills a culture in your organization. Bringing the determination each day to reach organizational goals, solve customers' unmet needs, and deliver the company mission separates the companies that succeed versus the majority that fail.
When we step back and assess our performance, it is essential to ask, "why am I doing this?" Remember the idea or initial cause that led you down this journey. When we start building our companies, it can be easy to lose sight of our vision. Regularly evaluate progress towards long-term goals and do not get lost in short-term victories that require a disproportionate amount of time to achieve the outcome.
Love your company so much that you are a walking advertisement. Every phone call is an opportunity to win a new customer or business partner. Our brand is the most valuable thing we own, and we can develop it by demonstrating our passion to others.
Leverage your passion each day to outperform your competition through disciplined actions. Love what you do, and you will never work a day in your life!