BUSINESS: The Ultimate Resource

April 2003 Upgrade #7

ACTIONLIST
Tapping into Passion
Getting Started
When an individuals passion is engaged by their work, they are much more dedicated, much more productive, and much easier to manage because they generate their own momentum. Conversely, when someones passion is not engaged, the individual is often lethargic, likely to shun responsibility, and frequently fails to meet objectives. It is clearly desirable to have people in roles who are passionate about what they do, and minimize those who are merely doing a job to fulfill the need for income. Managing passion is an art that begins with recognizing how people match up with their job, which components of that job resonate with an individuals specific interests, and ensuring that these are in rich supply. In this way, passion can be sustained in the longer term and the benefit to the business optimized.

FAQs
I manage someone who used to be extraordinarily enthusiastic and passionate about their work. Unfortunately, since they were promoted, these behaviors have disappeared. What could have gone wrong? There are a number of reasons why someones behavior could have changed under these circumstances. They may be finding that their new job demands skills that have not yet been developed. Or, they may now be in a setting that conflicts with their values, where there may no longer be a channel for the expression of their passion. This often happens when a natural sales person is promoted to a managerial role. The part of the job that they enjoyed and excelled at is no longer available to them. I think that passion is just an excuse for self-indulgence. I have to manage a team to meet very specific objectives and I dont have time to explore individual passions! Passion can certainly become self-indulgent if not directed properly, but it can also become a fuel to drive the teams success, if managed well. It is worth considering the consequences of preventing people from contributing in the way that feels most natural to them. What are you losing as a manager, and as a business, if you do not draw employees in to discussions about how to use their individual passions to make the team more effective?

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 2003

BUSINESS: The Ultimate Resource

April 2003 Upgrade #7

The organization I work for has become very successful on the basis of one individuals passion. However, the business is moving into a consolidation phase where that passion is creating conflict. How can we redirect this energy to create a strong foundation for growth? Dealing with a founding members passion and involvement in the business can be very difficult. However, there are places where the expression of his or her passion is extremely usefulin business development, for example. If you can get him or her to be externally focused and channel their passion where it can ignite interest in your products and services, it will take some of the heat out of the business. I have someone in my team who expects others to take responsibility for all the tasks that dont resonate with their area of interest. How do I manage this? You need to go back to the job description to ensure that the objectives are clearly stated. If an incumbent is not fulfilling their objectives, ask if they have the necessary skills or resources to meet them. Training or additional support may be required. If the skills and resources are in place, they may need an attitude adjustment or help in reorganizing their work with milestones so that they fulfill your expectations. Any continued lack of cooperation then becomes a performance issue, and further steps may need to be taken.

Making It Happen
The passion switch is usually on or off, seldom in between. This makes the successful management of passion a precarious business, especially if full on leads to passion fatigue in others and full off is disabling for the rest of the team. There are three main areas to consider when tapping into someones passion. Recognition When confronted with someone who doesnt appear to be fired up by anything, it is easy to jump to the conclusion that nothing in his or her life generates anything other than boredom. However, this is unlikely to be the case. Most people are switched on by something; the key is to determine what it is, and then to find a work context in which it can be expressed. You may find clues by observing the person in question. They may have been particularly enthusiastic when running a certain project, organizing a social event, or sitting on a committee. You could explore which aspects of these roles generated the uncharacteristic level of interest and enthusiasm. They may have enjoyed the expert status bestowed upon them as a project leader; they may have liked interacting with a wide network of people, or they may have preferred structuring a meeting. If these activities are not present in their job then it would be easy to see why they were dispirited. If you have not seen any evidence of passion in the workplace, you may want to ask them about their interests outside of work, to see if you can find the root of their passion.

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 2003

BUSINESS: The Ultimate Resource

April 2003 Upgrade #7

Once you have discovered the basis of someones passion, try to accommodate parts of it in their job. This could be done, for example, by realigning their current job objectives, giving them special projects, or even moving them into a new job where they can engage their enthusiasm constructively. Creative Direction Passion is not always easy to manage. Although you may welcome signs of passion in one of your team, it may be inappropriately directed and therefore disruptive to the other members. Passion needs a framework through which it can be managed. This means creating clear objectives, both for individuals and the team. In this way, a persons inappropriate use of their enthusiasm can be addressed in performance appraisals. The message can be reinforced by managerial guidance (reiterating objectives, for example) and through additional professional training, if necessary. Rewarding Success It is not difficult to reward someone for using his or her passion creatively and to the benefit of the organization. Most times, people are satisfied with a thank you, or, if it is a particularly valuable contribution, a more tangible reward. Bear in mind that absence of any recognition for their contribution and energy is likely to cause offense and hurt. If someones passion is different from your own, it is easy to overlook it or even devalue it, so make a conscious effort to learn about the passions of each member of your team. Done in a team building session, other members of the team will be able to tap this energy. In this way, new responsibilities can be allocated according to natural aptitude and desire (as well as experience and skill), and everyone can take responsibility for creating a high performing team. You may find that you are managing one or two people who dont know what their passions are. This can happen when someone enters a career early and has never really thought about their personal aspirations. Also, in the course of his or her professional life, that person may not have been presented with anything that resonates with their personality. In order to provide these people with an opportunity to explore their nature in more depth, they could be put into a series of situations that trigger different aspects of their talent. Encourage them to network in other parts of the business to see if there are areas that stimulate their interests. A wide exposure to the business may get them thinking more passionately about future career moves and how they could deliver more value through what they do. If this fails, ask them to think about what they have done in the past that has really given them a buzz. At first, what they come up with may seem wholly unrelated to their professional role, but with careful questioning and a little persistence, it is usually possible to find out what was driving the sense of pleasure or achievement. By getting free of the context, you can see whether this passion is transferable or not.

Common Mistakes
A Lack of Focus

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 2003

BUSINESS: The Ultimate Resource

April 2003 Upgrade #7

Passion can trigger emotions that range from enthusiasm to anger. These two emotions are deceptively close, and one can turn into another very rapidly. It is easy to get lulled into a false sense of security when channeling someones passion, but remember the nature of their personal investment and be prepared for an equal but opposite reaction should they be thwarted in its expression. Once tapped, the best way to manage passion is to do so cooperatively. Let the individual know what youre thinking. If any redirection is required, discuss options with them and involve them in the decision making. Forgetting That Passion Needs Management Too Expecting someones passion to overcome any obstacles is unreasonable. Passion does not look after itself, it needs facilitating and managing. Managers often forget that even people with high levels of enthusiasm get frustrated and broken by bureaucracy, politics, and lack of resources. It is a managers job to orchestrate the work environment so that passion can be creatively and productively directed. This means looking for opportunities for passion and providing the right level of support. Not Having Empathy for Others Passion If someones passion does not match your own, it can be quite exhausting to maintain enthusiasm and support for that individual. However, if you allow your attitude to show, you risk losing someone who might have been an ally, and risk a drop in his or her performance. If you are approaching this point with someone, be open and discuss your tolerances. They must take responsibility for the personal side of managing this energy, just as you must take responsibility for the professional side.

For More Information

Books: Kalil, Carolyn. Follow Your True Colors to the Work You Love: The Popular Method for Matching Your Personality to Your Career. Newberg, OR: Bookpartners, 1998. Whiteley, Richard C. Love the Work Youre With: Find the Job You Always Wanted Without Leaving the One You Have. New York: Henry Holt, 2001. Web Sites: The Career Connection: www.jobfind.com/cc_feature_passion.htm The Positive Path Network: www.positivepath.net/Default.asp

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 2003