How to Lead with Passion and Persistence

What is passion and how does one build it in others? Yesterday, I started a series regarding the energy a senior leader can bring to a team. But the focus of this series is on creating the traits that inspire ourselves and others. One of these traits is Passion. When it comes to building passion (rather than waiting for it to magically appear), it takes intentional exploration, reflection, and reinforcement. Here are six actionable activities I recommend to help individuals develop authentic passion: 1. Meaning. Finding the purpose behind the mission can be one of the most challenging aspects of breeding passion. Entrepreneurs are deeply rooted in purpose, while others focus on tasks Encourage your people to explore what problems they genuinely care about solving. Have them answer two questions: - What frustrates you most in the world and your job? - If money weren’t a concern, what would you spend your time fixing? This drives passionate thoughts around purpose over tasks every day. 2. Experiences. Exposure to new experiences breeds passion. Encourage cross-functional projects, stretching into new roles, and attending industry events outside of comfort zones. New exposure often lights a fire. 3. Surround. Exposure to others also breeds passion. Break through siloes (don't tear them down) and encourage engagement across the company. Being stuck in one job and working with the same team day-in and day-out, drives a narrow focus on task management. 4. Curiosity. One of the most powerful traits of a leader is their questioning of why. When your employees only concern themselves with what, they just want to be led. Promote environments that value learning and experimentation. Passion is often sparked when curiosity is allowed to flourish without fear of failure. 5. Storytelling. Yesterday, I was telling Joe Boyd that the power of stories can explain strategy, drive alignment, influence stakeholders, and lead with clarity. Teach your employees to tell these stories: why they selected this path, why their work matters, and why they stayed at it during tough times. Storytelling activates emotional connection and can reignite passion from within. 6. The Journey. A regular practice of reflecting on daily work and identifying what felt meaningful helps individuals tune in to sources of motivation and passion they might otherwise overlook. Allow time each week to reflect on the past week, month, quarter, and year. . Building passion is not about fireworks ... it's a slow-burning flame fed by intention, immersion, action, and reflection. With the right coachsulting structure behind them, even the most disengaged professionals can reconnect with what makes their work matter. How would you rate your passion and the passion of those around you? ….. Follow me if you enjoy discussing business and success daily. Click on the double notification bell 🔔 to be informed when I post. #betheeagle

Ever find yourself amid work feeling a bit unmotivated, like the routine has taken over the excitement? It's a signal that it's time for a reset, a chance to infuse new energy into what we do. Let's explore some steps together, focusing on reigniting that passion and making work not just a task but a fulfilling journey. From reconnecting with our passions to leading by example, these steps can be a compass for rediscovery. Here's to shaking off the monotony, staying curious, and collectively embracing positive change! 1. Rediscover Your Passions:    - Start by reconnecting with what used to ignite your passion for work. Reflect on the aspects of your job that once brought you joy. Identify specific tasks or projects that resonated with you. Revisiting these elements can be a powerful first step in reigniting your enthusiasm. 2. Reevaluate and Repurpose Your Role:    - Take a fresh look at your current responsibilities. Are there aspects that you can reframe or repurpose to align more closely with your interests? Consider proposing changes or taking on new challenges that resonate with your skills and bring a renewed sense of purpose to your work. 3. Reconnect with Colleagues:    - Sometimes, a change in perspective comes from connecting with others. Engage with your colleagues on a personal level. Share your thoughts and listen to their experiences. Building a supportive network can provide insights, encouragement, and even collaborative opportunities that reignite your passion. 4. Invest in Personal Growth:    - Invest in yourself if your passion has waned due to a lack of growth. Explore learning opportunities, attend workshops, or acquire new skills that align with your evolving interests. This personal growth journey not only revitalizes your enthusiasm but also positions you to contribute in fresh and meaningful ways to your work environment. In closing, let's commit to rediscovering our passion at work. Through reconnecting with our interests, reimagining our roles, and fostering connections with colleagues, we set the stage for a more fulfilling professional journey. Embracing change as an opportunity, investing in personal growth, and staying curious, we break free from routine. Let's move forward, not just as workers but as contributors to our dynamic work environment. With enthusiasm reignited, we shape our roles into purposeful and joyous endeavors. Here's to the vibrant chapters ahead!

Career renaissance? What is it? I’ve been in business a long time (several decades). While I have always enjoyed my work, and always tried to keep it fresh by staying current, and even making drastic industry changes (for the full story, read a great book by Bruce Turkel called Is That All There Is, where my career journey is covered in lurid detail). In that book, you’ll learn that I have always welcomed change, not feared it. In fact I have used it as fuel. But the end of 2023 feels different. I feel an incredible energy and calm about my work. I feel the need for experience in my areas of expertise has never been more acute. I feel renewed and refreshed by all I have learned in the past few years as Chairman & CMO of SportsEdTV, which is projected to have its best year yet in 2024. I ask myself these questions all the time, and maybe they can help you: 1) Would I do what I do for no money? If yes, that’s a sign that the interest and passion is there to persist when things get hard. When people don’t like what they do, the tendency to quit when facing adversity increases, and therefore the chances of success diminish. Would you do your job for free? 2) Am I excited to start my day? Most days, without a doubt (we all have the off day). The general rule for me is that I am up early - around 5am - and truly look forward to the challenges of the day. How does your day start? 3) Am I learning new things? We are operating in a world that changes in a minute. Technologies, good and bad, are presented as opportunities we must quickly assess, adopt or dismiss. I am in a constant state of continual learning. What have you learned recently? 4) Am I meeting great new people? Relationships are a great fuel for me, as I truly enjoy meeting and learning about people? If my day doesn’t include meeting one new person, I have failed in my exploration. Does meeting new people give you energy or drain you (important to know when making career choices)? When I combine all of these elements (and many others too numerous to mention here), my answers lead me to one conclusion. I am experiencing a career renaissance. A rebirth of my energy around my work, my knowledge and my network. As a result, I am looking forward to a great 2024. I hope we cross paths. #career #renaissance #networking #lifesatisfaction

Here it is, teammates - the eighth and final installment of my Leadership Credo, deconstructed: "I will be passionate about what I do and the people I lead. If I can no longer be motivated about my work, someone else should do it. If I no longer feel legitimate concern for my people, someone else should lead them. They deserve it." Leadership is a human endeavor. All the tools, tricks, tactics, actions, etc. that fill volumes of leadership books on airport bookstore shelves mean NOTHING if your people don’t believe that YOU believe in the task, the mission, or the organization. You must demonstrate a degree of passion or at least interest, and if you truly can't, then the right thing to do is to step aside and find something that does spark your passion or interest.