“Passion, though a bad regulator, is a powerful spring." — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Recently I had a discussion with a friend who had sifted through the various qualities of Leadership and arrived at the personal conclusion that there are two qualities that matter the most: Passion and Commitment. While I have not reached the same conclusion (I think there are more than two qualities leaders need) it is nevertheless worth pondering each of these.
Webster’s Dictionary defines passion as “a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something.” Certainly leaders need to embody and to engender passion for their "mission" in those they lead. Consider an opposite, antipathy, which connotes aversion or dislike…who wants to follow that ??
Passion is often the driving force that compels people to reach goals, inspires others, and urges the team to move forward productively. Passion breeds enthusiasm and keeps the spark alive in commitment.
Here are some questions for us to explore:
About what am I passionate?
- If I could do anything at all with my time, talents and energy, what would I pursue?
- When I was younger, what did I dream about pursuing?
- How much time do I spend in pursuit of my core passion?
- What could I change or reformat in my use of time that would move me toward the close pursuit of my passion?
- If my passion has dwindled, what is it that is sucking the life out of me? How can I avoid or eliminate these energy sapping elements?
Passion is certainly a core attribute of leadership. No doubt about it. Next week we will look at the second quality of leadership my friend has prioritized: Commitment.
Your thoughts?